Islamabad: Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Wednesday reciprocated the "sentiments for peace" expressed by his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh, saying dialogue is the only way forward for the two countries.
Gilani made the remarks while responding to Singh's address to the Lok Sabha on India-Pakistan relations on Wednesday afternoon.
The Pakistani premier said the two leaders "had useful talks and a good meeting of minds" during their talks on the sidelines of the Non-Aligned Movement summit at Sharm-el Sheikh on July 16.
"We had agreed that terrorism was a common threat. We also agreed that dialogue is the only way forward," Gilani said in a statement issued by the Prime Minister's House.
He said Singh "has rightly emphasised the importance of an honourable settlement of the outstanding issues between India and Pakistan". He also commended Singh for his "bold vision of peace and prosperity in South Asia and the statesmanship that he has demonstrated".
Meanwhile, Foreign Office spokesman Abdul Basit said Pakistan is conducting an anti-terror drive with commitment to eliminate the menace from its roots. He told a TV news channel that it was in Pakistan's own interest to root out terrorism and the country's efforts were not focussed on appeasing
anyone.
Asked to comment on Singh's remarks in the Lok Sabha, Basit said Pakistan is a victim of terrorism and its neighbour should cooperate with it in tackling this menace rather than indulging in blame games. Pakistan has an open and clear policy on terrorism, he added.
The country is engaged in the fight against terrorism and has achieved significant successes, he said.
Pakistan will adopt a constructive approach for the forthcoming meetings with the Foreign Secretary and Foreign Minister of India and hopefully the process of composite dialogue will commence again, Basit said.
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