Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz Thursday said that Pakistan is a peaceful country and is desirous of establishing good neighbourly relations with India so that the people of both the countries can develop, progress and prosper in an atmosphere of peace and amity.
He was talking to Shahid Malik who called on prime minister before his departure to New Delhi to assume responsibilities as Pakistan's new High Commissioner to India. Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said peace would remain elusive until an early and just settlement of the Kashmir dispute is found according to the wishes and aspirations of Kashmiri people and also acceptable to Pakistan and India.
He said the suggestions on demilitarisation and self-governance made by President General Pervez Musharraf provide the basis for discussions aimed at resolving the Kashmir dispute. He said that Pakistan and India need to move from the phase of dispute management to dispute resolution and the recently resumed composite dialogue process should earnestly focus on finding settlement of all disputes between the two countries.
Shahid Malik thanked the Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz for the guidance given to him. He also expressed the determination to do his best to accomplish the task assigned to him by the government.