By IANS,
New Delhi : Pakistan Friday extended a fresh invitation to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and hoped he will visit soon to usher in “a new chapter” in bilateral ties.
“The prime minister’s visit is long overdue. We are looking forward to his visit to Islamabad,” Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said at a joint press conference with his Indian counterpart Pranab Mukherjee here after talks.
“It will add a new chapter to our bilateral relations,” Qureshi said while stressing on “the right political environment” in both countries for carrying forward the peace process.
“We will try to finalise the dates soon,” was all Mukherjee would say.
During Mukherjee’s visit to Islamabad last month, Qureshi had expressed the hope that Manmohan Singh will come to Pakistan later this year to quicken the pace of peace process between the two countries.
Qureshi, who began his three-day visit to India Friday, called on Manmohan Singh at his 7 Race Course official residence in the evening and underlined Pakistan’s commitment to invigorating the peace process.
If the visit materializes, it will be the Pakistan-born Manmohan Singh’s first visit there as the prime minister.
Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the last Indian prime minister to visit Islamabad that led to the resumption of the stalled peace process between the two countries in January 2004.