ISLAMABAD, Dec 11:
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif today said Pakistan and India should institutionalise a mechanism of meetings between their national security advisors to discuss matters related to terrorism as it would help allay concerns of the two sides.
Expressing satisfaction over the calm at LoC, he said existing mechanism on LoC meetings need to be further strengthened.
Sharif made the remarks while talking to Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan TCA Raghavan, who called on him here.
Sharif said Pakistan believes in friendly relationship with all its neighbours specially India, a statement released by the Prime Minister’s House said.
All issues with India have to be dealt peacefully and diplomatically through dialogue based on parity, it said.
“We have no option but to live in peace in the interest of the people of Pakistan and India,” the statement said.
Sharif said Pakistan and India should institutionalise the mechanism of meetings between national security advisors of the two countries to discuss matters related to terrorism.
“It would help to allay the concerns of the two sides,” he said.
India blames some sections of the Pakistani establishment for helping the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Toiba militant group for planning and executing the 2008 terror attacks in Mumbai. The attacks had killed 166 people.
Sharif expressed satisfaction over the calm at LoC, but added that existing mechanism on LoC meetings need to be further strengthened.
The DGMOs of the two sides should meet so that such occurrences do not happen in future, he added.
“I believe that sincere and constructive measures need to be taken to reduce tension on LoC and to ensure that the ceasefire agreement of 2003 remains intact,” Sharif said.
Prime Minister Sharif said his Government is “committed” to improving relations with India.
“The normalisation process must remain on track. We need to work towards setting aside the baggage of history, prevailing mistrust and lack of flexibility,” the statement quoted Sharif as saying.
“I am convinced that we have no option but to normalise relations for the sake of peace and betterment of our peoples,” he said.
Sharif told High Commissioner Raghavan that he had a very good meeting with Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh in New York.
“We should continue to hold regular meetings and interactions at all levels as these will help towards normalising of the relations,” he said.
In New Delhi recently, Prime Minister’s Advisor on National Security and Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz met External Affairs Minister Salman Khursheed.
Expressing his will to enhance trade relations with India, Sharif said, “The second meeting of the Joint Business Council in New Delhi in October was useful. We look forward to further interactions between the two Ministries of Power and Commerce to discuss ways and means in moving forward on trade matters,” he said. (PTI)
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