Terming his visit to Sharm el Sheikh and meeting with his Indian counterpart a complete success, Pakistani Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani said that both India and Pakistan agreed to continue the dialogue process as it was considered the only way to resolve all the outstanding issues between the two nuclear power neighbours.
Briefing media persons on his four-day visit to Egypt where he attended NAM Summit and had a meeting with his Indian counterpart, the Prime Minister said that evidence was given to Prime Minister Singh about India’s involvement in Balochistan. “This was made part of the joint statement,” Prime Minister Gilani said.
Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani said that a whole gambut of issues, including Indian interference in Balochistan was raised during his meeting with Dr Manmohan Singh.
He said that Manmohan Singh was a statesman and there was a realization on both sides that one single issue should not make hostage the rest of the issues like poverty, hunger and disease confronting over 1.5 billion people of South Asia.
He said the Indian Prime Minister feared more Mumbai-like terrorists attacks on his country and he was asked that if India had some credible information in this regard it should be shared with Pakistan’s intelligence agencies and full cooperation would be extended.
Prime Minister Gilani said that Manmohan Singh was ‘quite clear’ in the meeting and stated, “He was not scared and was ready to discuss any issue.”
Replying to a question about Afghan interference in Balochistan from Helmund, he said “Pakistan’s concerns were conveyed to Afghan President Hamid Karzai during his meeting with him and he assured that the province will not be destabilized”.
To a question that the Kashmir issue was left out, he said that the joint statement clearly stated that India and Pakistan would discuss all issues, including outstanding issues.
He said during the talks with his Indian counterpart, it was decided to delink action on terrorism from the composite dialogue process and these should not be bracketed.
Prime Minister Singh reiterated India’s interest in a stable and democratic Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
The Nation / Agencies
