Qureshi changes tone; speaks of sustained dialogue

Islamabad, Jul 17: A day after branding India as "not ready of talks", Pakistani foreign minister SM Qureshi has spoken of the need for "sustained dialogue process" to normalise Indo-Pak ties.

“We are very serious about normalising our relations with India. I met with my Indian counterpart in Islamabad just day before yesterday. We agreed to embark on a sustained dialogue process," Mr Qureshi said on Saturday, Jul 17 in his opening remarks at a meeting of officials of the Friends of Democratic Pakistan (FODP) forum.

“For too long, Pakistan and India have been entangled in a conflictual relationship. It is high time our two countries engage, with full sincerity of purpose, to resolve all bilateral disputes and make a new beginning of normal relations anchored in sovereign equality and mutual interest," he added.

Noting that good relationship between India and Pakistan would have “far-reaching salutary effects" for South Asia and beyond, Qureshi said, “Pakistan will do its utmost to make this happen."

These statements come after the foreign minister took a swipe at Indian External Minister, SM Krishna saying that he was not prepared for talks and that he kept taking calls from New Delhi.

Besides this, Qureshi accused India of causing “last-minute hitch" in talks.

“It is the nature of India-Pakistan talks that whenever there is progress, there is always a last-minute hitch. There was no hitch from Pakistan"s side," he had said on Friday, Jul 16.

OneIndia News