May 28, 2003	Wednesday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 25,1424

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ISLAMABAD, May 27: Pakistan on Tuesday welcomed the steps announced by New Delhi on Monday and urged India to respond positively to all measures decided by Islamabad to pave the way for resumption of a meaningful and composite dialogue between the two countries.

Referring to the peace package, announced by Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Jamali on May 6 to facilitate people-to-people contacts, the Foreign Office said in a statement Pakistan hoped that India would “soon respond positively on all of them (proposals) to set the stage for a meaningful and composite dialogue for resolution of all disputes, including Jammu and Kashmir.”

“We are happy to see that the government of India has responded positively by releasing Pakistani prisoners,” said the statement, adding: “The foreign ministry is also satisfied that India has accepted Pakistan’s offer to resume the bus service.”

“This gesture is in response to ours when we had announced release of all Indian fisherman and 36 prisoners on humanitarian grounds.”

The statement said so far 20 of them have been released and consular access granted for 335 detained fishermen and 20 civilian prisoners since March this year.

“All of them (prisoners) will be set free as soon as Indian authorities are ready to receive them.”