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Pakistan reaffirms commitment to pursue dialogue with India
Ashok Tuteja
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 1
Reacting to some media articles in India expressing doubts about Nawaz Sharif's ability to pursue an independent line of thinking on his country's ties with India, Islamabad today reaffirmed that the Pakistan Prime Minister designate was genuinely committed to taking forward the peace process between the two countries.

"It is exceedingly important that both sides do their utmost to build a positive narrative about each other. Media has an important role to play. Generating positivity would help in creating space to move forward with confidence. In winning hearts and minds, this is the foremost challenge," Manzoor Ali Memon, Press Attache to the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi, said.

With media reports in India suggesting that the Pakistan Army would continue to navigate Pakistan's policy on India and that New Delhi should not be in a hurry to embrace Sharif, the Pakistan mission said it was also important that the phenomenal societal change in Pakistan was understood and appreciated in India. "It is time to shed the old way of thinking and using stereotypes. There is every reason for optimism."

The Pakistani official said it was important that both sides did their utmost to build a positive narrative about each other. Media has an important role in play in this endeavour. Generating positivity would help creating space to move forward with confidence. In winning hearts and minds, this was the foremost challenge.

Amid reports suggesting that Pakistan High Commission to India Salman Bashir would continue in his post despite the change of regime in Islamabad, the Pakistani side said both India and Pakistan have to ensure that the dialogue process moved forward so as to resolve all outstanding issues.