Trust and confidence key to move forward in Indo-Pak ties: Hina Rabbani Khar

On the eve of Prime Minister Raja Parvez Ashraf's visit to Ajmer Sharif, Pakistan on Saturday said the only way to overcome problems in its relations with India is through "building trust and confidence".

Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar spoke about India-Pakistan ties today while addressing the passing out ceremony of a specialised course for officers of the Foreign Service of Pakistan.

Talking about Pakistan's foreign policy objectives, she said the country has been single-mindedly focussing on improving ties with all its immediate neighbours, including Afghanistan and India.

"Regarding India, the Foreign Minister noted that despite difficult relations in the past, Pakistan strongly believed that the only way forward was through building trust and confidence," said a statement issued by the Foreign Office.

Pakistan is committed to resolving all outstanding issues between the two countries through a meaningful dialogue, Khar said.

She said the diplomats were joining the country's "first line of defence" and the pursuit of national interests alone must become the guiding principle of their professional conduct.

The event at the Foreign Service Academy was also addressed by Foreign Secretary Jalil Abbas Jilani, who said diplomacy in the twenty-first century needed creativity, connectivity and communication.

Ashraf will visit Ajmer tomorrow to offer prayers at the holy shrine along with his family members after being hosted to a lunch in Jaipur by External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid.