Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has called for creating an “enabling environment” for a “constructive and result-oriented dialogue” between New Delhi and Islamabad in a letter to his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi.
Khan’s letter on Monday was in response to Modi’s greetings on the occasion of Pakistan Day on March 23.
Watch | ‘Pakistan also desires peaceful relations’: Imran Khan writes back to PM Modi
In his letter to Khan last week, Prime Minister Modi said that an atmosphere of trust and devoid of terrorism is “imperative” for better relations between the two sides.
The contents of the letter by the Pakistan PM, who is recovering from Covid-19, were confirmed by people familiar with the developments in Islamabad.
{{/usCountry}}The contents of the letter by the Pakistan PM, who is recovering from Covid-19, were confirmed by people familiar with the developments in Islamabad.
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“The people of Pakistan also desire peaceful, cooperative relations with all neighbours, including India. We are convinced that durable peace and stability in South Asia is contingent upon resolving all outstanding issues between India and Pakistan, in particular the Jammu & Kashmir dispute,” Khan wrote.
“Creation of an enabling environment is imperative for a constructive and result-oriented dialogue,” he added.
There was no immediate response from Indian officials to Khan’s letter.
The people cited above said a meeting of the economic coordination committee of Pakistan’s cabinet scheduled for Wednesday is expected to discuss and clear formal proposals for importing cotton and sugar from India.
Clearance of the proposals would reflect a breakthrough in bilateral trade ties, which have languished due to tensions in recent years.
In his letter to Khan last week, Modi had said: “As a neighbouring country, India desires cordial relations with the people of Pakistan. For this, an atmosphere of trust, devoid of terror and hostility, is imperative.”
Modi also referred to the impact of Covid-19 as a “difficult time for humanity”, and conveyed his best wishes to Khan and the people of Pakistan “for dealing with the challenges” of the pandemic.