Pak welcomes India's move to consider reduction of troops in J and K

London, July 1 (ANI): Pakistan has welcomed Union Home Minister P.Chidambaram's statement that India is considering withdrawing troops from Jammu and Kashmir.

Terming it as a 'a positive development', Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said de-escalation of troops in the region would help build the right environment for resumption of stalled bilateral talks between both countries.

"It would also mean a great deal for the people of Kashmir who have suffered immensely because of troops presence in their midst for so long," The Dawn quoted Qureshi, as saying.

When asked to comment on India's refusal to resume peace talks unless the perpetrators of the Mumbai attack are brought to justice, Qureshi said : "One should not ignore the fact that Pakistan is bearing the worst of extremism."

"We must find a solution to the problem and it can be done only by engaging not by disengaging," he added.

Talking to media persons here on his way back home after attending the G-8 foreign ministers conference in Italy, Qureshi said the international community was now offering more help to Pakistan for fighting against extremism.

"The world is now more supportive of our position. They have even agreed to give us counter-terrorism equipment," said Qureshi.

Commenting on the US led drone strikes inside Pakistan, Qureshi said Islamabad has already told Washington that the missile hits in the tribal regions were fanning anti-America sentiments in the country.

"We are continuously pursuing the matter with the US. We tell them that that continued drone attacks caused national outrage in the country and fuelled anti-American feelings," he added. (ANI)