KARACHI, May 9: Federal Minister for Information and Media Development Shaikh Rashid Ahmed has said the government wants to run the affairs of the state with consensus.

A process of consultation with leaders of political and religious parties has been initiated to take them into confidence on all important matters, he said.

The minister, who was addressing a dinner party hosted in his honour by the Awami Tehreek Pakistan on Thursday, said it was a considered policy of the government to solve all internal and external issues through mutual understanding.

He said the future of Kashmir appeared to be bright as the environment was conducive for negotiations to solve this issue.

Earlier, AHT chief Maulvi Syed Iqbal Haider recalled the objectives of the party and its activities, and assured full cooperation to the government.