London visit: Mistrust with India can be resolved via talks, says Nawaz

Reiterates commitment for peace in the Afghanistan.


APP/news Desk October 31, 2013
File photo of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. PHOTO: AFP

LONDON:


Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday said his government was keen to resolve all outstanding issues with India through dialogue and reiterated that a solution to the Kashmir issue was only possible when Pakistan, India and the Kashmiris were on board.  


Reiterating his commitment for peace in the neighbourhood, the prime minister said that six decades of mutual mistrust between India and Pakistan had only resulted in high defence expenditures at the expense of social sector spending. He added that this tit-for-tat policy must come to an end so that the poor living conditions of the peoples of the two countries could be ameliorated.



The prime minister made these remarks in his meeting with British Foreign Secretary William Hague, who paid a courtesy call on him in London. The prime minister is visiting the United Kingdom, following his visit to the United States, in a continuation of his dialogue on Afghanistan, tensions with India, trade, energy and the economy.

The prime minister said that Pakistan wanted peace in Afghanistan and was ready to offer all possible support in this regard. He also emphasised on the need for an effective border management system between Pakistan and Afghanistan to tackle issues of cross-border infiltration.

The premier also expressed his appreciation of the continuing British support for the resolution of outstanding issues between Pakistan and India.

Hague welcomed Pakistan’s approach of reconciliation towards resolving all outstanding issues with India and Afghanistan through dialogue and said that he was impressed by Pakistan’s efforts to create enabling environment for negotiations.

Meanwhile, in a continuation of his high level meetings with policymakers in the United Kingdom, Nawaz also met British Home Secretary Theresa May on Wednesday and discussed matters related to cooperation on security and the fight against terrorism.

Elaborating on recent legislative action against terrorism within Pakistan, the premier briefed the home secretary on steps taken by the Pakistani government to eliminate terrorism from the country.

He said that under the Protection of Pakistan Ordinance, enemy aliens had been defined and acts of terrorism would be treated as equivalent to waging war against the state.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 31st, 2013.

COMMENTS (1)

Pk_Paris | 10 years ago | Reply

Of course! dialogue is possible. However shutdown all terror infra structure on POK side and ensure no infiltration from Pakistan side to Indian side. Once this is done, slowly Indians will reduce army presence along LOC and also in Kashmir then no one can deny dialogue process and there will be peace in Kashmir. Tourism will blossom same as pre 1989 and eventually will also help Pakistan to divert funds from military to social issues such as education & health.

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