ISLAMABAD, March 5: The government wishes to establish tension-free and good neighbourly relations with India, said Foreign Minister Mian Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri on Wednesday.

“We firmly believe that peaceful and cooperative relations between Pakistan and India would not only promote economic and social well-being of the people of the two countries but would also benefit the entire South Asian region and beyond,” the minister said in a written reply to a question asked by Abdul Qayyum Khan Jatoi in the National Assembly.

Mr Kasuri said Pakistan had taken measures to reduce tension between the countries on the border and along the Line of Control.

Islamabad had moved its naval and air assets, as well as the troops deployed in forward positions to peacetime locations and “the government of Pakistan has also offered unconditional dialogue to India,” he said.

Since the assumption of office, Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali has repeatedly expressed readiness to enter into a constructive and meaningful dialogue with India to address all outstanding issues, he recalled.

Pakistan had decided to release more than 280 Indian fishermen with their boats on humanitarian grounds, he said. “We are also looking into the cases of other Indian fisherman and civilian prisoners for their early release and repatriation to India,” he said.

“We hope that the Indian government too would initiate necessary measures for the early release of nearly 100 Pakistani fishermen and more than 700 civilian prisoners from its custody,” he said.

However, he regretted that India had continued to escalate tension. Recently it had resorted to expulsion of Pakistan’s acting high commissioner on trumped-up charges.

Despite escalatory measures by India for gains in forthcoming election in nine states and Lok Sabah election in 2004, Pakistan would continue its efforts for resolution of the Kashmir dispute and other problems by peaceful means and through dialogue, he said.

In reply to another question, the National Assembly was informed that there were 141 Indian civil prisoners under the custody of Pakistan. The Indian high commission has been provided consular access to 88 such prisoners.

The minister said information about Pakistani prisoners had been received from the high commission in New Delhi. Of the 781, the national status of around 300 had been confirmed by Pakistani authorities, he said. The high commission was awaiting provision of consular access to 318 prisoners in Indian jails, he said.

There were around 100 Pakistani fishermen in Indian custody and 400 Indian fishermen under custody here, the minister said. The government had taken measures for the release of more than 280 Indian fishermen on humanitarian grounds and efforts were underway for the release of the remaining, he said.

He said the government expected that India would take immediate steps for the release of Pakistani fishermen.

Pakistan also looked forward to early reactivation for exchange of civilian prisoners, he said.