By KUNA
Islamabad : The new Pakistani government has said that it would not put on hold progress in various areas of cooperation with archrival India because of the impasse on Kashmir, cause of three wars between the two nuclear neighbours.
“There are areas where we feel we need to move on to the mutual benefit of both countries — like trade,” said Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi in an interview with a local news channel, published here on Tuesday.
But, he quickly added that the new approach should not be construed as putting the Kashmir issue on the back-burner. “We are not forgetting it (Kashmir). It is important,” he emphasized.
But at the same time, he said, Pakistan wanted regional stability, peace, and greater understanding (with India) so that the two can work together for the benefit of the region and its people.
“We have been approaching the Kashmir problem from a particular angle and should now try a different approach,” said the foreign minister.
Foreign secretaries of Pakistan and India would be shortly meeting to conclude the fourth round of the composite dialogue and initiate the fifth round.
Qureshi said Kashmir was on the agenda of the composite dialogue. “It is one of the top issues after peace and security and stability.” He outlined regional peace and stability, increased economic activity, and cordial relations with India as the major goals to be pursued in relations with India.