Foreign Minister Khar urges Pakistan, India to mend fences LAHORE: Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar Monday said that Pakistan and India must come to the table to end their differences, as the policies practiced by the governments of both countries in the past sixty years bore no significant fruit, Geo News reported.

She was addressing the Economic Conference "Dividends" being held here, under the auspices of Aman Ki Asha, a joint initiative of the Jang Group of Pakistan and the Times of India newspaper.

Such meetings of the minds go a long way in both promoting trade and amity, she said.

"Both countries must strive to bury the hatchet through dialogue and events like business conferences not only help boost mutual trade but promote peace as well by bringing people together", said foreign minister.


"We all wish peace and prosperity in South Asia and India and Pakistan were not only just two neighbours but also two responsible countries."

"India and Pakistan need to start looking at each other as a common species of this region and address all core issues through dialogue," said the Foreign Minister.

She was of the view that both sides should learn lesson from past and look forward for the interest of the people of this region. Lauding the Jang Group and Times of India for this initiative, she said it could prove vital in building cordial relations between the two nations of South Asia.

Hina Rabbani Khar further said that both Pakistan and India need to make progress over all important issues such as Kashmir and Siachen, Sir Creek to get a place where both sides could have confidant over each other. She further stated the past showed that we hadn't made much progress in addressing several issues.

Citing the example of Siachen dispute, she stated by 1989, Prime Ministers of both the countries had agreed to find a comprehensive solution to this issue but in later years, the solution of this issue couldn't be found and the matter was still unsolved till 2012, which showed that we had lost 23 years of opportunity.

Foreign Minister stated that none of the issue was more important for Pakistan than Kashmir but the solution of all the issues should be found through dialogue.

"In Pakistan, there is consensus across the board that all issues should be addressed through dialogue" said Hina Rabbani Khar and hailed the Aman ki Asha initiative as a great step in improvement of ties between the two very important members of the region.

Monday, May 07, 2012

A dream road trip come true

Emotional family reunions, heartwarming interactions with ordinary people
- a Pakistani and his elderly mother on the journey of a lifetime

Part II .....more