Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has reiterated Pakistan’s desire to settle all issues with India through dialogue, urging that the two countries have no other option but to live in peace in the best interest of their people.
Nawaz said this while talking to Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan TCA Raghavan who called on him at Prime Minister’s House on Wednesday.
The premier said that Pakistan and India should institutionalise the mechanism of meetings between their respective national security advisers to discuss matters related to terrorism. This, he added, would help to removing concerns of the two sides.
Nawaz expressed satisfaction over the current situation at the Line of Control (LoC), but stressed that the existing mechanism on LoC meetings should be further strengthened. He said that the directors general of military operations of the two countries should meet more frequently to prevent violation of the 2003 ceasefire on the de-facto border of the disputed territory.
The PM said that his government was committed to improving relations with India. “The normalization process must remain on track. We need to work towards setting aside the baggage of history, prevailing mistrust and lack of flexibility,” he said.
Nawaz emphasised the need for holding frequent meetings between senior officials of the two countries, saying his parleys with his Indian counterpart in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly and his adviser on national security Sartaj Aziz’s meeting with Indian External Affairs Minister Salman Khursheed in New Delhi was a step in the right direction.
The premier said that he also wanted to improve Pakistan’s trade relations with India besides increasing people to people contact, including visits of pilgrims. “This is an important confidence building measure,” Nawaz told the newly-appointed Indian envoy.
