ISLAMABAD, May 11: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has asked India to positively respond to the bold suggestions given by Pakistan to resolve the Kashmir dispute.

“Sustainable peace cannot be achieved in South Asia without a just solution of the Kashmir dispute in line with the aspirations of the Kashmiri people,” he said while talking to a media delegation from Oman which called on him at the Prime Minister’s House on Thursday.

The prime minister said Pakistan wanted peaceful relations with all its neighbours.

He said the country’s relations with India were improving.

He told the delegation that being close to Gwadar, Oman could have multiple corridors of cooperation with Central Asia and western China, especially in the fields of energy, trade, transport and tourism.

He said Pakistan supported the Karzai government and was in favour of a stable and prosperous Afghanistan.

He said Pakistan had a multi-faceted strategic relationship with China.

Replying to a question, Prime Minister Aziz said Pakistan favoured a just and peaceful resolution of the Palestine dispute. He said the country would continue to support the cause of the Palestinian people.

He said Pakistan and Oman had a vital role to play for the cause of peace, harmony and development in the region.

He emphasised the need to dispel misperceptions about Islam. This, he said, should be done by the Ummah by projecting the true image of Islam and promoting inter-faith and inter-civilization dialogue. He said the media of the two countries should project the true image of Islam.

He said Pakistan shared a maritime border with Oman and historical ties between the two countries were a source of strength for the Ummah.

He emphasised the need to expand trade and business relations between the two countries, saying there was great potential for it in a number of sectors, particularly energy development.

He said a large number of people from Pakistan, especially Makran, worked in Oman.