Gilani seeks resumption of composite dialogue with India

Prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani today called for the resumption of the composite dialogue between Pakistan and India, saying only terrorists will benefit from any delay in reviving the stalled peace process.

"Pakistan wants good relations with its neighbours. As far as India is concerned, the composite dialogue was discontinued. We want the composite dialogue to be resumed again," Gilani told a news conference in his hometown of Multan in Punjab province.  

"I think dialogue is the only solution. It’s the only way forward because the solution of these problems is not war but dialogue," he said in response to a question on the likelihood of improvement in the strained ties between the two countries.

"The world is aware of Pakistan’s strategic location and its role as a frontline state in fighting against terrorism... If Pakistan and India do not hold talks, the terrorists are likely to benefit and not the people," he said. Gilani said Pakistan has conveyed to India the need to revive the peace process.

"We are also trying to convey through our friends that our focus at this time should be on our enemy, the terrorists," he added.

The Pakistani leadership has repeatedly called on India to revive the composite dialogue, which was put on hold by New Delhi nearly a year ago in the wake of the Mumbai attacks that were carried out by the Pakistan-based Lashker-e-Taiba.

India has linked the resumption of the talks to Pakistan taking action against the perpetrators of the attacks. Asked about the government’s claim that it had evidence of Indian involvement in fomenting unrest in Balochistan province, Gilani said he had taken up this issue with his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh during their meeting in Egypt in July.

"As far as the evidence is concerned, we will present it at the appropriate time," he said but did not give details. India has rubbished the Pakistani allegations that it is behind the unrest in Balochistan.

In response to a question on a wave of deadly terrorist assaults across Pakistan, Gilani said militants had resorted to these attacks to divert the government’s attention from operations being conducted against the Taliban. "We have the will and ability (to taken them on)," he said.

Asked about opposition PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif’s demand for an investigation into allegations that President Asif Ali Zardari had received millions of dollars as kickbacks for a submarine deal with France in the 1980s, Gilani said: "President Zardari has faced probes all his life. We never worried about such issues or made compromises. We went to jail but did not compromise. Even today, we are ready to face any charges in court."