Positive on offer, Pak tests negative on George: talks like a warmonger

Pointing out that Fernandes was known for ‘‘intemperate’’ statements in the past, Khan said: ‘‘It appears New Delhi is playing the classic game of good cop-bad cop. This statement is outrageous. Because you are holding a gun in one hand and in the other hand a piece of 12 proposals. We do not understand the motives… only psychopaths and warmongers can make such comments.’’

In New Delhi, South Block officials said two sets of dates — November 3-4 and November 10-11 — had been suggested to Pakistan for technical level talks on restoration of civil aviation links.

Officials said this was in continuation of 12 measures announced by New Delhi on October 22 to normalise ties between the two countries.

This round of talks will try to take matters forward after both sides failed to reach an agreement in the earlier round held in Islamabad on August 28. Both countries will be represented by their Director Generals for Civil Aviation.

The first round of technical-level talks failed largely because Pakistan wanted India to guarantee that neither party would unilaterally close airspace to each other’s civilian aircraft.

In Islamabad today, the Pakistan Foreign Ministry spokesperson promised a detailed reply to Delhi’s proposals. ‘‘The general thrust is that we are not running down the proposals. As a matter of fact, we said we are going to consider these proposals very seriously. We shall give a robust response. The response will be comprehensive.’’

But Khan criticised India for presenting a ‘‘rehashed and recycled’’ package of proposals made initially by Pakistan Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali in May.

New Delhi had shut out Pakistani civilian aircraft from its airspace after the December 13 attack on Parliament. While this decision meant that Air India would have to re-route several of its Europe-bound flights south of Karachi, Pakistan International Airlines had to shut all operations to South East Asia.

Islamabad, therefore, is insisting on an ‘‘abiding commitment’’ from New Delhi against unilateral closure of airspace. But India is of the view that such guarantees are unheard of and ‘‘totally unprecedented’’in civil aviation practices across the world.