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November 24, 2008
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Monday
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Ziqa'ad 25, 1429
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Govt keen to improve ties with India: FM
MULTAN, Nov 23: Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has reiterated the government’s resolve to improve ties with India and said his visit to India will help remove misunderstandings between the two countries.
Talking to newsmen at the airport here on Sunday, he said he would meet his counterpart Pranab Mukherjee and other Indian leaders.
“It is our desire that both countries should live like friendly neighbours.” He said he would hold talks with the Indian leadership on the issues of water and Kashmir.
About the Indian cricket team’s tour, Mr Qureshi said the government wanted the team to visit Pakistan, adding that people-to-people contacts with India should be improved.
He said intellectuals, writers and sports people of the two countries should have frequent interaction to improve relations between the two countries.
The foreign minister ruled out any possibility of imposition of martial law in the country and said government, parliament and armed forces had unanimity of views on all national issues.
Mr Qureshi said the political wing of ISI had been disbanded and termed it a positive development. He said the ISI was a vital national institution and it wanted to fully concentrate on counter-terrorism activities.
About the IMF bailout package, Mr Qureshi said its approval would pave way for assistance from international financial institutions like the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, Islamic Development Bank and Friends of Democratic Pakistan group. He said it was heartening to note that the rupee was gaining strength against dollar and capital flight had stopped.
He said the ‘Friends’ had promised investments in four sectors -- economic development, energy, security and institution building.
He said the IMF loan was meant to meet the immediate resource gap and to pursue an economic stabilisation plan.
He rejected reports that agriculture income tax was among conditions in the IMF bailout plan. This was neither a condition nor the tax was under consideration, the minister said.—APP
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