President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani felicitated India on its Republic Day on Thursday. - Photo by AFP

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani felicitated India on its Republic Day on Thursday.

In a letter to his Indian counterpart Pratibha Devisingh Patil, President Zardari said: “On the occasion of the Republic Day of India, I wish to convey to Your Excellency and the people of India warm felicitations and good wishes of the people of Pakistan. I am confident that our two countries would continue to endeavour to develop friendly, good neighbourly and cooperative relations. We wish the people of India progress and prosperity. Please accept, Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration.”

In his message to his Indian counterpart Dr Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister Gilani said: “Pakistan is fully committed to developing friendly relations with India on the basis of sovereign equality, mutual respect and commonality of interest. We believe that the development and wellbeing of our peoples and our common goal of peaceful and prosperous South Asia can be achieved through the resolution of all outstanding bilateral issues between us.”—Agencies