Islamabad:
Describing India as an "important neighbour", Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi today said both the countries should abandon the "wooden headed approach" they have followed for the past six decades and resume dialogue to resolve all outstanding issues.
"Both countries need to give up the wooden headed approach that is being followed since the last 63 years," Qureshi said in his address to the North Atlantic Council of NATO in Brussels.
"It is imperative to resume the dialogue process to address all our issues and resolve them in accordance with international legality, justice and fair play," he said.
Qureshi described India as "an important neighbour with whom Pakistan would like to maintain peaceful and friendly relations based on sovereign equality and mutual respect".
"In our quest to have a stable, peaceful and prosperous South Asia, we were engaged in a peace process with India for the resolution of all our outstanding disputes, including over Kashmir, Siachen and water," he said.
The dialogue process was disrupted by the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks that were condemned by Pakistan, he said. Before the peace process was stalled, "good progress" was made by the two sides in instituting nuclear and conventional confidence-building measures, he said.
Trade between the two countries increased from 300 million dollars in 2003 to 1.3 billion dollars in 2007 and both sides had reaped the benefits of the peace process, the minister said.
"Mumbai should have provided us an opportunity to fight the forces of extremists and terrorists, instead the process got stalled," Qureshi said.
He remarked that Pakistan too had suffered "Mumbai-type attacks on a regular basis". "Those who carry out such attacks are enemies of both India and Pakistan," he said.
During his address, Qureshi gave Pakistan's perspective on challenges faced by the country and on the security situation in the region.
He said greater cooperation between Pakistan and NATO and ISAF forces is vital for the success of the war against terror.
"It is now time to follow a comprehensive strategy to bring about a change in Afghanistan as we share the same objectives of a stable, peaceful and prosperous Afghanistan," he said.
Pakistan has an "enlightened self-interest" in peace and stability in Afghanistan as it is essential to forge economic links that will bring development to the war-torn region and ensure peace and prosperity, he said.
Qureshi also briefed the NAC on Pakistan's military operations against militants in Swat and Malakand.
Within three month of the launch of the operations, the government's writ was restored and terrorists were eliminated, he claimed.
"Both countries need to give up the wooden headed approach that is being followed since the last 63 years," Qureshi said in his address to the North Atlantic Council of NATO in Brussels.
"It is imperative to resume the dialogue process to address all our issues and resolve them in accordance with international legality, justice and fair play," he said.
Qureshi described India as "an important neighbour with whom Pakistan would like to maintain peaceful and friendly relations based on sovereign equality and mutual respect".
"In our quest to have a stable, peaceful and prosperous South Asia, we were engaged in a peace process with India for the resolution of all our outstanding disputes, including over Kashmir, Siachen and water," he said.
The dialogue process was disrupted by the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks that were condemned by Pakistan, he said. Before the peace process was stalled, "good progress" was made by the two sides in instituting nuclear and conventional confidence-building measures, he said.
Trade between the two countries increased from 300 million dollars in 2003 to 1.3 billion dollars in 2007 and both sides had reaped the benefits of the peace process, the minister said.
"Mumbai should have provided us an opportunity to fight the forces of extremists and terrorists, instead the process got stalled," Qureshi said.
He remarked that Pakistan too had suffered "Mumbai-type attacks on a regular basis". "Those who carry out such attacks are enemies of both India and Pakistan," he said.
During his address, Qureshi gave Pakistan's perspective on challenges faced by the country and on the security situation in the region.
He said greater cooperation between Pakistan and NATO and ISAF forces is vital for the success of the war against terror.
"It is now time to follow a comprehensive strategy to bring about a change in Afghanistan as we share the same objectives of a stable, peaceful and prosperous Afghanistan," he said.
Pakistan has an "enlightened self-interest" in peace and stability in Afghanistan as it is essential to forge economic links that will bring development to the war-torn region and ensure peace and prosperity, he said.
Qureshi also briefed the NAC on Pakistan's military operations against militants in Swat and Malakand.
Within three month of the launch of the operations, the government's writ was restored and terrorists were eliminated, he claimed.
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