Peaceful dialogue between India, Pakistan need of the hour, says Pak envoy Abdul Basit

Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit on Monday said the need of the hour was for India and Pakistan to resolve their differences through peaceful dialogue rather than through the use of force.

“The need of the hour is that India and Pakistan engage in a peaceful bilateral dialogue to resolve issues,” said Basit at a press conference in New Delhi. “Pakistan has been serious and sincere about resolving issues with India through peaceful dialogue.”

Stressing on how India and Pakistan cannot resolve their problems by the use of force, the Pakistan envoy said, “The agenda of the two Prime Ministers of India and Pakistan is common.”

" Both of them want economic development…This is a golden opportunity for both the countries," he said.

He added that it was important for both the countries to resolve the Kashmir issue through peace talks.

The statements by Basit came even as he was scheduled to meet with leaders of the Hurriyat Conference in New Delhi oPakistan National Day celebrations during which a host of issues are expected to come up.

A seven-member delegation of the separatist outfit, led by the Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, left Srinagar on Sunday for the meeting at the invitation of the Pakistan envoy.

The Pakistan High Commissioner, earlier on Monday, also told the moderate separatist amalgam Hurriyat Conference that Islamabad was waiting for a visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and wanted to move forward on all outstanding issues before it took place.

This was conveyed to the Hurriyat Chairman Mirwaiz Umer Farooq when he met Basit in New Delhi.

“We also want that the talks between the two countries should graduate to political level from the bureaucratic level. I was told by the Pakistani envoy that Islamabad hoped that the Indian Prime Minister will visit Pakistan,” the Mirwaiz told PTI in New Delhi after the meeting.

(With inputs from PTI)