Manmohan's visit to Pak would boost dialogue, says Jilani

After ending his two-day visit to India, Pakistan foreign secretary Jalil Abbas Jilani on his return to Pakistan said that Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh's visit to Pakistan would provide the much needed impetus to dialogue and the peace process between the two neighbours.

After ending his two-day visit to India, Pakistan foreign secretary Jalil Abbas Jilani on his return to Pakistan said that Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh's visit to Pakistan would provide the much needed impetus to dialogue and the peace process between the two neighbours.

"I can say that people of Pakistan and its leadership are eager to receive Indian Prime Minister," said Jilani.

Such high level contacts between the two countries are very important and we eagerly await the Indian PM, he said. Jilani was answering a question regarding the PM's statement in HT (on July 6) that he was looking forward to visiting Pakistan provided, the dialogue results in suitable outcomes.

Rejecting media reports that the two nations got stuck on core issues during Jilani's two-day visit to India, he said, "We had very productive meetings wherein key issues including Kashmir and terrorism were discussed. Overall I feel that the meeting ended on a progressive note and both the sides wanted to move forward," he said.

However when asked why Pakistan was not arresting Hafiz Saeed, Jilani said, "If you recall that we have acted against anyone accused of wrongdoings in the past. We need substantial evidence and have to follow a set procedure. If we don't follow these procedures then even the courts will set people free."

On meeting the separatists before meeting his Indian counterpart, he said, "Kashmir has been a long standing dispute and we have to maintain dialogue with Kashmiris on both sides of the Line of Control."