Good relations between India-Pakistan imperative for regional peace: Mukhtar

Islamabad, Mar.4 (ANI): Urging New Delhi to show some 'flexibility', Pakistan Defence Minister Chaudhry Ahmad Mukhtar has said friendly relations between India and Pakistan would bring peace and economic prosperity to the region.

During a meeting with New Zealand High Commissioner Brian Sanders here, Mukhtar said India should water down its stiff stance to resolve all pending issues with Pakistan, which was essential for peace and prosperity in the region.

Mukhtar told Sanders that Islamabad is committed to eliminate terrorism and extremism from the country and it has succeeded in rooting out militants from the troubled areas of Malakand Agency and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA).

"Pakistan has deployed more than one hundred and thirty thousand troops on its western border and FATA to combat militancy and terrorism," The Nation quoted Mukhtar, as saying.

He also underlined that Pakistan has been playing a key role in the US led 'war in terror' in Afghanistan and its support was crucial to defeat and eliminate the Taliban, Al-Qaeda and other extremist groups. (ANI)