New Delhi, Nov 17: Pakistan High Commissioner Aziz Ahmed Khan today called on Human Resource Development Minister Murli Manohar Joshi and conveyed to him that an atmosphere for resumption of Indo-Pak dialogue seems to be building up. "It was a courtesy call," Joshi told reporters after a 40-minute meeting in his Shastri Bhavan office with the Pakistani envoy.

Asked whether Khan had made any reference to the need for the two sides to resume talks, Joshi said that the Pakistani envoy observed that "an atmosphere for this seems to be building up".

Khan, who arrived in India on June 30 and presented his credentials to President A P J Abdul Kalam on July 10, said he had taken over his new assignment only some time back.
"The convention is that we call on senior leaders and important ministers. This was a courtesy call,” he told reporters.

To a question, Khan said there were immense opportunities for cooperation between India and Pakistan in the field of human resource development.

"As soon as this dialogue process starts, education can also form one of the subjects," he said.
Joshi said Khan felt that Pakistan can benefit from India's expertise in education and science and that when the dialogue starts possibilities of cooperation in this field could be seriously considered.

Bureau Report