ISLAMABAD, Oct 22: Islamabad on Wednesday said it will seriously consider the series of confidence building measures (CBMs) announced by India earlier in the day in a bid to normalize relations with Pakistan.

In a response to the Indian announcement, a Foreign Ministry statement said: “These (proposals) will receive serious consideration by Pakistan.” However, Pakistan regretted exclusion of the offer of a composite dialogue in the Indian proposals and said: “We are disappointed that while making these proposals, India has simultaneously reiterated its rejection of Pakistan’s offer to resume substantive and sustained dialogue to resolve all issues notably the Jammu and Kashmir.”

The statement added: ”Pakistan’s response to any proposal that is substantive and unconditional and genuinely designed to improve relations will, as always, be positive.”

It added: “We hope that India will reconsider its position on the resumption of the composite talks as some of the proposals made by India today are already integral to the composite dialogue process.”

Indian foreign secretary Kanwal Sibal handed the Indian proposals to Pakistan’s High Commissioner Aziz Ahmed Khan in New Delhi on Wednesday afternoon at the Ministry of External Affairs.

The proposals come a day after the Indian foreign secretary said that India was ready to hold second round of talks on resumption of airlines with Pakistan provided it came with an open mind.

These measures appear to have been prompted by pressure on India from the international community, for going too slow on the peace process.