Islamabad: Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has said his country wants a meaningful dialogue with India and can wait for the bilateral dialogue with New Delhi to resume.
Addressing media persons during a press conference in Multan, Qureshi said Pakistan prefers bilateral engagement with India to resolve the long pending water dispute, and the option of international arbitration would be explored only if bilateral talks concerning the issue fail to deliver desired results.
“Pakistan is not in hurry and can wait for meaningful dialogue,” Qureshi said.
Responding to a question regarding reports that India had sought the custody of Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed, the alleged mastermind of the November 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, during the February 25 secretary-level talks, Qureshi said Saeed’s name did not figured in the talks.
Qureshi said Pakistan is committed to the trial of the Mumbai attack accused, and added that the legal process was in progress and the case would be decided by the court of law.
“One cannot remain stuck in a particular issue and the situation was untenable. While India was concerned about the Mumbai incident, Pakistan had faced several Mumbai-like attacks that not only killed innocent people but also affected its economy,” The Dawn quoted Qureshi, as saying.
ANI
First Published: Sunday, March 07, 2010, 15:47