NEW DELHI: Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said on Friday that he had been wanting to visit Pakistan for some time, and still hoped to make it happen before the next general elections due by May when he would demit office.

Addressing a rare press conference in Delhi, Dr Singh also said the two countries were close to an agreement on Kashmir before Gen Pervez Musharraf was suddenly thrown out of office. He also used the press meet to caution the world against Hindutva mascot Narendra Modi’s rise, saying it would be disastrous for India if he became prime minister.

“I would very much like to go to Pakistan. I was born in a village which is now part of west Punjab,” Dr Singh said in response to a question. But, he added, “as prime minister of the country, I should go to visit Pakistan if conditions are appropriate to achieve solid results. I have thought of it many times, but ultimately I felt that circumstances were not appropriate for my visit. I still have not given up hope of going to Pakistan before I complete my tenure as prime minister.”

Asked if he expects his successor to improve ties with Pakistan like he had given it priority Dr Singh revealed that the Kashmir dispute was almost resolved during his tenure.

“I have tried to improve relations with all our neighbours to the best of my ability. At one time, it appeared that an important breakthrough was in sight. Events in Pakistan, for example, the fact that General Musharraf had to make way for a different set-up, I think that led to the process not moving further. But I still believe that good relations between India and Pakistan are very essential for this sub-continent to realise its full development potential, to get rid of poverty, ignorance and disease, which has been the inevitable lot of millions and millions of people in this sub-continent of ours.”