ISLAMABAD, Nov 14: Pakistan on Monday reiterated the need for Pakistan and India to address all bilateral disputes with sincerity and courage to end the trust-deficit that exists between the two countries. Speaking at the weekly news briefing here on Monday, the Foreign Office spokesperson Tasnim Aslam said: “Pakistan has all along emphasised the need for developing trust. This requires addressing the disputes and issues between Pakistan and India with sincerity and courage, particularly the Jammu and Kashmir issue which is core issue between Pakistan and India.”

She underscored that the Kashmir dispute had to be resolved in a manner acceptable to Pakistan, India and people of Kashmir.

When asked if the Indian Prime Minister’s veiled reference to “failed states” in its neighbourhood also meant Pakistan, the spokesperson stated: “We do not know who the Indian prime minister had in mind. Certainly, the reference could not have been to Pakistan.”

She emphatically said: “Pakistan is a strong country which is also a nuclear power. It would be highly irresponsible for anyone to even suggest that a nuclear power is a failed state.”

SAARC SUMMIT: At the outset the spokesperson gave a run-down on the recently concluded 13th Saarc Summit. Recapping the pre-summit events, the summit and agreements reached between the member states, she observed: “Two landmark decisions were taken at this summit — inclusion of Afghanistan as a Saarc member state and the grant of observer status to China and Japan.” She said the foreign secretary had earlier in the day called the ambassador of Afghanistan to formally inform him about the decision. The Afghan ambassador in turn expressed his gratitude for Pakistan’s initiative, Ms Aslam said. Pakistan had proposed inclusion of Afghanistan as a permanent member of Saarc and association of China as a dialogue partner or observer.