Feb. 6: Pakistan foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Saturday summoned an inter-ministerial meeting for February 10 to discuss the resumption of dialogue with India.
“The meeting will review the strategy in connection with the composite dialogue with India which is likely to resume,” he said.Talking to a private TV channel here, Mr Qureshi said Pakistan high commissioner to New Delhi Shahid Malik has also been invited to participate in the inter-ministerial meeting where he will brief the participants about the details of his meeting with Indian foreign secretary Nirupama Rao. On the dialogue, Mr Qureshi said, “We are facing a challenge but we cannot face it alone. We need a regional approach. India is an important regional player and it has to act responsibly. It (India) has to be positive. You don’t have to be negative. Now if you’re negative, you’re not helping your case.”The Pakistani foreign minister said, “Here are now good signals coming from India. It is good that they are willing to talk bilaterally. We welcome this.”India suspended official talks, known as the composite dialogue after the Mumbai terror attacks. The first signs of a thaw in relations became evident last Wednesday when it was announced that the Indian home minister would visit Pakistan for a Saarc meeting of home/interior ministers.Meanwhile, on Saturday, Pakistan’s minister for Kashmir affairs, Mian Manzoor Ahmed Wattoo, said the acute water shortage was becoming serious due to India’s construction of dams on the Chenab and Jhelum rivers. “As Pakistan is an agriculturist country it is mainly dependant on its rivers for the supply of waters for irrigation,” he said.The minister said the Pakistan government is committed to raising the water issue with India as it is necessary for its survival. Talking to reporters in Lahore, Mr Wattoo said that dialogue between Pakistan and India is a good omen for peace in the region. “We are looking forward to the talks. We hope this bears fruit and we move forward,” he said.
Shafqat Ali Islamabad