India proposes top security talks with Pakistan on Aug 23-24

Indians look at a live mortar shell allegedly fired from the Pakistani side of the Indian Kashmir border in the village of Abdullian, about 35 kilometers from Jammu, the winter capital of Kashmir, India, Aug 4, 2015. [Photo/IC]

ISLAMABAD -- Pakistan confirmed on Thursday that India has proposed talks of top security officials with Pakistan in New Delhi Aug 23-24.

Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi, agreed last month at their meeting in the Russian city of Ufa that National Security Advisers of the two countries should meet to "discuss all issues connected to terrorism."

Pakistan Foreign Ministry spokesman Qazi Khalilullah said the proposed dates were under consideration of his government and agenda of the meeting was also being prepared.

The announcement came following recent cross-border firing that has left civilian casualties and escalated tensions between the two nuclear neighbors.

The prime ministers had also agreed on meetings between senior officials of the border security forces and chiefs of the Military Operations.

Both countries accused each other of violating the 2003 ceasefire along the Line of Control that divide the two countries in the disputed Kashmir region.

Pakistan said on Monday that three civilians were killed and nearly two dozen were injured in the latest Indian shelling.

The Foreign Ministry spokesman said at his weekly briefing that Pakistan has always condemned the violations and lodged protests with the Indian High Commission in Islamabad.

He rejected as false Indian allegations that Pakistan was involved in recent attacks on the security forces in the Indian city of Gurdaspur and Udhampur in Indian-administered Kashmir.

"It is inappropriate to hurl accusations without investigation and concrete evidences," said the spokesman.

India alleged that it has "arrested a Pakistani youth" for an attack on Indian convoy in Udhampur that killed two Indian soldiers and injured a dozen others.

Pakistani officials dismissed the Indian claim as unfounded, saying they have not found any data to identify the man.