After Modi's call to Sharif, Pakistan wants normalisation of ties with India

 Pakistan on Thursday said it wants dialogue with India to resolve all outstanding issues and welcomed all efforts to normalise bilateral ties, days after the two prime ministers spoke to each other amid a war of words between the two countries.

Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson Qazi Khalilullah said at weekly briefing that Pakistan wants to resolve all outstanding issues with India through dialogue. Referring to the telephonic talk between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday, the spokesman said Pakistan welcomes all efforts to normalise bilateral relations. "We are committed to having good relations with all neighbours in the region but the serious issues between India and Pakistan should be resolved through dialogue," he said.

When asked whether Pakistan had contacted the international community on Modi's statement on India's role in the breakup of Pakistan during the 1971 Bangladesh liberation war, he said the country will take all appropriate actions and measures to protect its national interest. He said arrangements were being made to bring the Pakistani fishermen who are expected to be released following the announcement by Modi.
Pakistan and India have been involved in a war of words recently with leaders from both sides exchanging sharp comments.

Prime Minister Sharif last week attacked the "irresponsible and imprudent" statements from the Indian political leadership and had vowed to protect his country's "vital interests at all costs". Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore had said in the wake of India's military action in Myanmar that it was a message to other countries which was interpreted as a warning to Pakistan.

Responding to a question about the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, the spokesperson said both the countries are committed to complete the mega project in time. The spokesperson rejected the presence of Islamic State militants in the country and said that Pakistan was committed to the war on terrorism.

Talking about relations with Russia, he said Russia was an important country and Pakistan wanted to enhance relations in all fields of mutual interests. "Our relations are on an upward trajectory over the last couple of years. These relations are independent of any influence from any other country," he said.