ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said on Thursday that it was imperative for the leadership of both Pakistan and India to engage constructively to build trust and confidence and improve the atmosphere, spoiled with recent incidents on the Line of Control (LoC).
The Prime Minister was attending a briefing at the Foreign Office in Islamabad on Thursday soon after his arrival from Saudi Arabia to assess the situation after the reported killing of five Indian troops at Poonch sector.
Pakistan has strongly rejected the accusations by India that its troops were involved.
During the briefing, the Prime Minister regretted the recent incidents on the LoC that flared up tensions between India and Pakistan and caused loss of precious human lives.
The Prime Minister stressed for the steps, both by Pakistan and India, to “ensure and restore ceasefire” along the LoC.
He also emphasized that while existing military to military channels could be more optimally utilized to prevent misunderstanding and not allowing situation to escalate.
Nawaz Sharif said Pakistan is prepared to discuss steps with India for further strengthening of existing mechanisms both at the political and military levels.
He said that it is incumbent upon the leadership of both sides not to allow the situation to drift and to take steps to improve the atmosphere by engaging constructively with a view to building trust and confidence.
The Prime Minister said that he was looking forward to his meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. During the meeting, he said‚ we will discuss steps to further build trust and consolidate this relationship.
Moreover, he reiterated the resolve that Pakistan will persist in its efforts to improve relations with India through a constructive dialogue on all issues.
