Peace process in mutual interest: Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan says the India-Pakistan peace process is in mutual interest and not a concession from one country to another.

Urging India to reciprocate the sincere efforts of Pakistan so that the peace process could move towards to its final destination, Pakistan said the peace process is in the interest of both the countries, 'The Nation' reported.

It quoted Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson Tasnim Aslam as saying Islamabad had nothing to do with terrorism as it was in the frontline role against war on terror.

Reacting to Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's remarks about New Delhi's wish to restart the stalled peace process if Pakistan took adequate measures to curb cross- border terrorism, she said the entire international community had acknowledged her country's role in the anti-terrorism war and the Indian leadership should also realise this fact.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan media has reported without much comment the announcement in New Delhi that its High Commissioner to Pakistan Shiv Shankar Menon would be the country's new foreign secretary.

The 'News International' merely quoted Indian media reports to underline that Menon, who has served in the crucial Pakistan Division of the External Affairs Ministry for several years, was appointed as envoy in Islamabad at a critical time when relations between the two countries were at a low.

He is credited with playing a stellar role in rejuvenating the relations and lending impetus to the peace process, the paper noted.

"Menon has been a popular diplomat in Pakistan. He was heard with great interest whenever he spoke in different cities of Pakistan," the paper noted.

'The Nation' stated that during Menon's present stint, India-Pakistan ties had witnessed a sea change with tremendous people to people exchange of delegations in different sectors between the two sides.

The resumption of India-Pakistan dialogue process will be a major challenge for the new foreign secretary amid the chill in the bilateral ties since the July 11 Mumbai terror blasts, 'The Nation' said.