Pak should resolve issues with India through talks: Sharif

Lahore, June 18(ANI): Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif has said that it is important for Pakistan to discuss all pending issues with India to improve the relationship between the two countries.

Referring to the scheduled visit of Indian ministers to Pakistan, Sharif said: "We should have good neighbourly relations with India; and the resolution of issues should only be through talks."

India and Pakistan are gearing up for back-to-back engagements.

The Foreign Secretaries of both countries are scheduled to meet in Islamabad on June 24 to prepare the grounds for the Foreign Ministers' meeting between S.M. Krishna and Shah Mahmood Qureshi on July 15.

Both India and Pakistan have acknowledged that a "trust deficit" exists between the two countries, and, while chalking out the agenda, Indian Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao and her Pakistani counterpart Salman Bashir are expected to put in place the measures to reduce this widening deficit.

Rao's visit will be followed by a visit by Indian Home Secretary G. K. Pillai, who will be in the Pakistan capital to attend the SAARC Home Secretaries meeting.

It will be preceded by SAARC Home Ministers' meeting, which will see Indian Home Minister P. Chidambaram in attendance.

Chidambaram is also expected to hold one-to-one talks with the Pakistan leadership on June 26. (ANI)