LAHORE: India’s Foreign Minister, S.M. Krishna has said that the people and government of India want to see a stable and prosperous Pakistan, DawnNews reported.

The foreign minister, who was in Pakistan for a three-day official visit departed back for India on Sunday.

During the third day of his trip, Krishna traveled to Lahore and met with the Governer Punjab Sardar Latif Khan Khosa and Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif.

The Indian foreign minister met with CM Punjab Shahbaz Sharif at the chief minister’s house during which both the leaders discussed bilateral issues between the two countries.

While speaking on the occasion, Shahbaz said that talks between India and Pakistan should discuss all outstanding issues.

Speaking to media representatives, Krishna said that India wanted a stable and prosperous Pakistan, adding that India and Pakistan were sovereign countries and they should live like good neighbours.

The Indian foreign minister stressed the need to usher in a new era of cooperation and cordial relations between Pakistan and India in the region.

“The outstanding issues saddled on us by history cannot been resolved without dialogue”, he said during his meeting with the Governor Punjab Latif Khosa at the Governor House.

Earlier upon his arrival in Lahore, Krishna said that his visit to Pakistan had been fruitful. He said that he and his Pakistani counterpart Hina Rabbani Khar had signed pacts on visa liberalisation and cultural promotion which would help promote bilateral ties.

“We both have no other option but to live peacefully. We have a good friend in Pakistan and a good neighbour”, he said.

The Indian Foreign Minister stressed the need to enhance people to people interaction, adding that it was the people that are at the heart of everything.

“It is the people on both sides who want to resolve issues between India and Pakistan”, he added.

He said India would like to take the relations forward to the most progressive direction on all matters.

“We need to nurture the relations and the trust and to build on the trust between the two countries in the days to come”, he stressed.

Krishna also visited the shrine of great Sufi saint Hazrat Ali Hajvery known as Data Sahib, and the Minar-e-Pakistan prior to his departure. During his visit to the Minar-e-Pakistan, he read the resolution of Pakistan and signed the guest-book.