We don't need any help to resolve issues with India: Pak

Pakistan has ruled out any possibility of involving the United States to resolve its outstanding issues with India as it clearly stated that both Islamabad and New Delhi should endeavour to "take ownership of their own affairs" without the interference of any third country.

Without naming the US, Foreign Office spokesperson Tehmina Janjua said in a media briefing: "We do not need a third country for us to take ownership of our own affairs."

"Prime Minister [Yusuf Raza] Gilani (in his meeting at Mohali) said that both Pakistan and India, as two important sates in South Asia, must endeavour to take ownership for their affairs, with a view to advancing the objectives of stability and peace in our region and fulfilling the aspirations of the peoples of South Asia for progress and prosperity," The News quoted Janjua as saying.

Speaking about the Mohali meet, she said that Gilani had an opportunity to have a 'friendly conversation' on the state of Pakistan-India relations and the world situation.

"He conveyed to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Madam Sonia Gandhi and the people of India warm greetings of the president and people of Pakistan. The premier expressed his satisfaction on the resumption of the dialogue process and expressed the confidence that this process will be uninterrupted and uninterruptible," she added.

On a query regarding a Pakistani judicial commission going to Mumbai to meet Ajmal Kasab, the lone surviving terrorist of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, the spokesperson replied, "There are two things. First, there is the judicial committee dealing with prisoners, which will meet in Pakistan on April 19-23."

"Dates will be worked out through diplomatic channels and these will be conveyed to us by the Indian side in four to six weeks. At the same time, Pakistan has conveyed its readiness to receive the Commission from India on Mumbai attack investigations on this basis. The Commission coming from India will talk to investigators dealing with the issue," she added.

Responding to Pakistan's earlier stance on the issue in February, in which it was said that Pakistani laws do not allow the visit of such a Commission, Janjua clarified that the principles evoked in the joint statement released after the meeting of the interior secretaries of both countries are that of 'comity and reciprocity'.

She also described Gilani's meeting with Dr Singh at Mohali on March 30 as a win-win situation for both nations in their renewed engagement process.

"Islamabad looks forward to a meaningful progress in the ongoing dialogue," The Nation quoted Foreign Office Spokesperson Tehmina Janjua as saying.

She said that Pakistan did not underestimate the difficulties in the process, but it had faith and confidence for a bright future for the people of the region.

"Pakistan is committed to a constructive, sustained and result-oriented process of engagement with India. Dialogue is the only way forward to move towards the goal of establishing good, neighbourly and cooperative relations," she said.

"Pakistan wants to move towards a comprehensive and broad-ranging engagement with India on the basis of equality, mutual trust, mutual interest and mutual respect," she added.

Janjua said that Pakistan was looking forward to a series of meetings with India that were envisaged till July. These will culminate in the meetings of the foreign secretaries and the foreign ministers of the two countries in New Delhi to take stock of the progress achieved, she added.

The spokesperson pointed out that there were long-standing issues that needed to be addressed earnestly.

Replying to a question, Janjua said that the full spectrum Indo-Pak dialogue would consist of all the eight segments forming the composite dialogue process.

The foreign secretaries of the two countries would discuss peace and security, Jammu and Kashmir, cultural exchanges and people-to-people contacts during the talks, she added.