Islamabad, July 28: Top Pakistani diplomats have supported trade with India through rail and road networks besides backing the petroleum and gas pipeline links and said the country could achieve most of its economic objectives through it. Addressing a seminar on 'Global economic challenges: The role of the foreign office' yesterday, Pakistan's permanent representative to the United Nations Munir Akram said Pakistan could become the hub of international trade if it allows rail and road transit trade with India.
"It is a critical decision whether to allow transit trade through rail or road and to allow India's gas or oil pipelines to pass through Pakistan. If we do so, we will become a hub of international trade as the key for the western world would be our relations with India," he said. Inaugurating the seminar, Pakistan Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri, said Pakistan was consulting Muslim countries including Saudi Arabia on sending troops to Iraq but made it clear that a final decision had not been taken so far.
On ties with India, Kasuri said Islamabad wished for better and improved ties with India and said it was willing to initiate dialogue for the resolution of all outstanding issues, including Jammu and Kashmir. Bureau Report