This Article is From Mar 23, 2016

Pakistan Looking To Have 'Normal' Ties With India: Envoy Abdul Basit

Pakistan Looking To Have 'Normal' Ties With India: Envoy Abdul Basit

Pakistani Envoy Abdul Basit (File Photo)

New Delhi: Pakistan is looking to have "normal" ties with India on the basis of "mutual respect and interest", its envoy Abdul Basit said today.

Talking to reporters in New Delhi, he described the proposed visit of a five-member investigation team of Pakistan to probe the Pathankot terror attack as a "positive development" and hoped they will be able to do their work "productively".

He said, "It is also necessary to resolve all our problems, especially the Jammu and Kashmir issue, so as to put our relations on the irreversible trajectory of peace and prosperity. Cooperative relations are also required to address many common challenges including climate change and poverty."

A five-member Pakistani Joint Investigation Team had yesterday applied for visas to come to India to carry forward the probe into the Pathankot terror attack, days after the announcement by Foreign Ministers of the two countries that it will come here on March 27.

Referring to it, Mr Basit said, "Let the team come. We will see. It's a positive development, I think. We hope the team would be able to do its work productively."

Asked about progress towards holding Foreign Secretary-level talks between the two countries, Mr Basit said that "no date" has been finalised yet but hoped the parleys will take place "sooner than later".

To another question on Nuclear Security Summit to be held in Washington next week, Mr Basit said Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will attend it.

He said Pakistan "being a nuclear power" has an "important" role to play and expressed the hope that the international community will work together and ensure nuclear security in all its aspects and "without any discrimination".
 
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