India-Pakistan dialogue process being worked out: Pakistani envoy
Published: 16th July 2013 08:53 PM | Last Updated: 16th July 2013 08:53 PM | A+A A-
Pakistan accords high priority to improving relations with India and both countries are working to resume the dialogue process, Pakistani High Commissioner Salman Bashir said Tuesday.
Speaking at the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Bashir said: "The government of Pakistan, the government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is clear and categorical in according high priority to improving relations with India."
"Our government is settling in and I must say it considers India track the most important track and we are for quick movement across the board in terms of relations," he said.
On holding foreign secretary-level talks, Bashir said: "We are working on the dialogue process and fix date of various meetings."
"I can say that from now to sometime in the fall, not only the standard meetings of foreign secretaries, (on) Wullar Barrage but also working group meetings of joint commissions, which are very important, are being worked out."
He said direction of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has been translated into clear policy directives to all branches of Pakistan for improving relationship with India.
"We wish and hope to see how we can translate this very global desire, which we believe is of our two peoples for better relations between the two neighbours," he said.
Bashir said top priority for Pakistan is economic development for which it needs stable and peaceful neighbour.
"I think the question is how to make relations improve between the two countries. There should be efforts to bridge disconnect that exists in multi-domain areas and have facilitative framework, whether it is visas, customs, quality standards or issues of payment," he said.
"Efforts are being made to simplify modalities and procedures for issuing visas," he said.
On India's demand for handing over plotters of 26/11 Mumbai attack, Bashir said: "The matter is being addressed at legal level and whatever is necessary is being done. Given the legal procedures, it is being dealt in a proper way."
A Pakistan judicial commission on 26/11 Mumbai terror strike is expected to visit India soon.