India shying away from dialogue due to elections next year: Pakistan Foreign Minister Qureshi

"I was quite concerned when I saw the Minister of external affairs when I was in the room. She looked pale to me. She looked worried" Qureshi said.

Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi. AFP Photo

New Delhi: Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has alleged that India has suspended dialogue with them because of forthcoming 2019 general elections. “India has suspended dialogue because elections are around the corner” he said. Further showing dissent over Susham’s Swaraj’s departure from SAARC meet before Pakistan minister’s speech; he said “I heard Sushma Ji. She said regional cooperation. How can we have cooperation when we are not talking?” Showing intent of extending an olive branch and resuming dialogue, he said “We want to engage with India. Friends on the east have become prisoners of rhetoric. My PM wrote a letter and suggested FMs’ meet. What happened within 24 hours they changed mind? US needs to tell its strategic partner to engage” India is scared of its electorate: Pakistan Foreign Minister Speaking on India’s cancelling of dialogue with Pakistan during SAARC, Qureshi cited political reasons saying, “They are reluctant because of Politics, elections and the scare of their electorate. They have taken the pendulum. They have swung the pendulum to such an extreme that they are now finding it difficult to bring it back” he said. Sushma Swaraj looked Pale to me: Qureshi He further stated that Indian Foreign Minister seemed worried and under pressure. “The elections are round the corner. They felt that it could boomerang and that is why they were shy. I was quite concerned when I saw the Minister of external affairs when I was in the room. She looked pale to me. She looked worried. I wish we could have smiled at each other but I could the immense strain” he said. Ready to engage with India: Qureshi Qureshi further concluded by saying that Pakistan is still ready to begin dialogue with India. “Pakistan is still ready to talk with India. Whenever India is ready, we will talk about peace. We are not closing doors” he said.