Pakistan pitches for better ties with India

Hoping that the stalled dialogue process will resume soon, Pakistan on Sunday pitched for building relations with India, saying there is convergence of agendas of the Prime Ministers of the two countries.

"Minister for External Affairs Hon'ble Sushma Swaraj had said there are no full stops in diplomacy. I concur with her that in diplomacy...You do not completely shut it down. So, let's hope there are possibilities that will emerge. So, I am hopeful," Pakistan's High Commissioner to India Abdul Basit said in a media interaction at the Hyderabad Press Club. India had called off the scheduled foreign secretary-level talks with Pakistan in August, objecting to its envoy meeting Kashmiri separatists on the eve of the dialogue. When referred to India's stance that Pakistan should talk to it directly rather than involving separatist groups in the process, he said Jammu and Kashmir is a problem between the countries and both countries should try to establish peace.

"Jammu and Kashmir is a problem between our two countries. It is part of the composite dialogue process as well. So, we hope that whenever we resume the dialogue process, we will be able to build on the past accomplishments and move forward. Because, peace is in our mutual interest," he said. Replying to a query, Basit said efforts should be made to see that relations between the two countries grow.

"The agenda of our Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif saab is economic development. And the agenda of Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi saab is also development. The agendas of both governments meet. There is convergence. So, there is no reason why we cannot face the challenges together. The need is that we complement each other," he said. Replying to a query on continued ceasefire violations by Pakistan, the envoy said his country holds a view different than India but stressed that both countries should abide by the previous agreements.