ISLAMABAD, March 24: Pakistan on Friday gave a measured response to Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s ‘peace offering’ with a pointed reminder that the Kashmir dispute had been the root-cause of strained relations between the two countries and it needed to be resolved.

She termed the peace offer as ‘positive’ but called for bold steps by both countries leaders to resolve outstanding issues, including Kashmir.

On the Indian premier’s reference to ‘ground realities’ in his address at the flagging off the Nankana Sahib-Amritsar bus service earlier in the day, Foreign Office spokesperson Tasnim Aslam said it was a ground reality that the Line of Control (LoC) was part of the problem and not a solution to the Kashmir issue.

She underlined that the status quo and an LoC-based solution were unacceptable to Pakistan as well as Kashmiris.

“It is in view of the ground realities and the unrealised vast potential of the peoples of South Asia that Pakistan has been always emphasizing the need for building confidence and resolving problems, specially the Jammu and Kashmir dispute which has been at the heart of conflict, mistrust and hostility and which has bedevilled ties between the two countries for such a long time,” the FO spokesperson said.

Advocating the need for bold steps by the leadership of both countries to resolve the outstanding issues, she added: “We also need sincerity and flexibility to overcome the legacy of the past.”

Commenting on Mr Singh’s speech, the spokesperson said: “We believe the speech reflects many positive sentiments and a strong acknowledgement of the need to move forward on Jammu and Kashmir and other issues.”

Pointing to his statement that both countries should address the problems like poverty, disease and ignorance, the spokesperson said: “We have always stated that the resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir issue can release the full potential of the peoples of South Asia to make progress and fight poverty, disease and ignorance.”

She recalled that President Musharraf had also stated that these were very serious challenges facing the nations of this region. In this context the FO spokesperson emphasised: “We also see Pakistan as the hub of economic activity. That is why we have offered energy corridors to India from Central Asia and Iran.” On the Indian prime minister’s statement that more needs to be done to stem terrorism, the spokesperson’s response was: “We too are victims of terrorism. Not just Pakistan but we all need to work on it.”

Meanwhile, observers find nothing new or exceptionally encouraging in India’s latest ‘peace offering’.