M A I N   N E W S

Sharif sad, says keen to meet Manmohan
Ashok Tuteja & Afzal Khan
Tribune News Service

New Delhi/Islamabad, August 8
Hours after Defence Minister AK Antony blamed the Pakistan Army for the killing of five Indian soldiers along the Line of Control (LoC), Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif sought to cool down tempers by expressing sadness over the incident which “resulted in flaring up tensions and (causing) loss of precious human lives”.

Realising the growing sentiment against Pakistan in the wake of the killings, Sharif said Islamabad would persist in its efforts to improve relations with India through a constructive dialogue on all issues.

Soon after Antony’s statement, Sharif summoned an emergency meeting with top officials of the Foreign Ministry and the security apparatus in Islamabad to review the situation arising from the conflagration along the LoC. In a statement, he said it was imperative for both India and Pakistan to take effective steps to ensure and restore ceasefire along the LoC.

During the briefing, Sharif, who has vowed to improve ties with India during his fresh term in office, also emphasised that existing military-to-military channels could be more optimally utilised to prevent misunderstanding and not allow the situation to escalate. Pakistan, he said, was prepared to discuss steps with India for further strengthening the existing mechanisms both at the political and military levels.

He said it was incumbent upon the leadership 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 Pakistani Premier said he was looking forward to his meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York next month.

SharifSpeak

• Existing military-to-military channels can be more optimally utilised to prevent misunderstanding and not allow the situation to escalate
• Pakistan prepared to discuss steps with India for further strengthening mechanisms at political and military levels
• It is incumbent upon the leadership not to allow the situation to drift