ISLAMABAD: In a major breakthrough in bilateral relations, Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday responded to a letter of Indian counterpart Narendra Modi, reminding him that durable peace and stability in the South Asian region is contingent upon resolving all outstanding issues between India and Pakistan, particularly the Jammu and Kashmir dispute. This exchange follows reports of back-channel talks between the two countries which was welcomed by China. A spokesman of China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Zhao Lijian, on Monday said that China welcomed the recent positive interactions between Pakistan and India and said that it was ready to work with Pakistan to inject positive energy into regional peace, stability and development. “We are convinced that durable peace and stability in South Asia is contingent upon resolving all outstanding issues between India and Pakistan, in particular, the Jammu & Kashmir dispute.”He maintained that the creation of an enabling environment is imperative for a constructive and result-oriented dialogue. Prime Minister Imran further stated that the people of Pakistan commemorate Pakistan Day by paying tribute to the wisdom and foresight of their founding fathers in envisioning an independent, sovereign state where they could live in freedom and realise their full potential.

Source: Pakistan Today March 30, 2021 15:00 UTC