ISLAMABAD, June 7: The peace process is moving in the right direction but its pace is hampered by the “deficit of trust”, according to former Indian minister for external affairs Yashwant Sinha.

He was talking to a small group of reporters after a briefing for Pakistani parliamentarians on the budget-making process in India here on Wednesday.

Mr Sinha advised the leadership in the two countries to avoid media hype and said there was a need to continue the process even if the people believed that so far it had failed to achieve the desired goals.

“The talks should continue even if there is no (apparent) progress,” he said, adding that dialogue was vital for India and Pakistan to better understand each other’s point of view on different issues like Siachen, Sir Creek and, most importantly, Kashmir.

He said both the governments were considering a lot of proposals to resolve the Kashmir dispute and both sides needed to show patience. He said that India and Pakistan should hold talks with “sincerity and honesty”.

Mr Sinha said that the launching of the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus service and opening up of the Line of Control for trade should not be treated as mere confidence-building measures, adding that they constituted concrete steps taken by the two governments. He said that durable and permanent solution to the Kashmir issue would emerge only through the complete backing of the people.

He appreciated the Indian High Commission’s efforts for issuing 100,000 visas during the past year.

Mr Sinha said that he was pleased that the peace process, initiated by former prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, was continuing. He said that a “peace constituency” had been developed in both the countries and there was a need to extend it.

Mr Sinha said the leaders of the two countries should avoid “grand standing”, adding that it was damaging the peace process.