Karachi, March 31 (KMS): The Foreign Minister, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, has said that Pakistan and India are heading towards a positive trajectory of ties in the aftermath of significant developments starting with the letter from Indian Prime Minister felicitating his counterpart on the Pakistan Day, which was responded by Prime Minister Imran Khan.

In an interview in Dushanbe, Qureshi said the prime minister, while thanking the Indian prime minister, has reiterated Islamabad’s earnest desire to have peaceful ties with all neighbouring countries, including India. However, this requires resolution of all outstanding issues between the two countries, including the most important dispute over Indian illegal occupation of Jammu and Kashmir. He said PM Imran Khan, in his letter to his counterpart, said, “If India desires peaceful relations with Pakistan, New Delhi will have to create a conducive and enabling atmosphere.”

Referring to radical changes India introduced in the occupied territory on Aug 5, 2020 that confused and complicated the whole scenario, Qureshi said today a large segment in India feels those actions have proved to be counterproductive and have served to further alienate the Kashmiris. He said if India considers providing an enabling environment, Prime Minister Imran Khan had even earlier expressed his readiness to take more steps in that direction. “Islamabad would never shy away from dialogue as we fully believe that it will be suicidal for the two nuclear neighbours to engage in any confrontation.”

To another question, the foreign minister said the revival of Pakistan-India 2013 understanding on ceasefire at the LoC, Indian PM’s letter of felicitation on Pakistan Day and the fact that the Indian Foreign Minister Shiv Shankar Menon did not opt to criticise Pakistan at the Heart of Asia Conference, like on previous occasions, are positive and productive developments. He said the revival of ceasefire at the LoC is a productive development, which would benefit the Kashmiris who have also praised the development. Regarding his meetings with his Indian counterpart, Qureshi said neither such a meeting was scheduled nor he received any such request.