Islamabad, Apr 29: Pakistan's opposition parties have extended a cautious welcome to the phone call by Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali to his Indian counterpart Atal Bihari Vajpayee to kickstart a new dialogue process.
While they welcomed the chances of revival of dialogue process between India and Pakistan, some of the parties were also intrigued by the timing of Jamali's quick positive reciprocal action as the initiative came in the middle of their talks with government to limit President Pervez Musharraf's powers. The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) headed by self-exiled former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto has welcomed the prospects of India-Pakistan talks.
Reacting to Jamali's phone call PPP spokesman, Senator, Faratullah Babar said, "We welcome any unconditional talks".
He said now that the two governments were buoyant about it, they should begin a composite dialogue that addressed all issues including Kashmir between the two countries.


Jamali spoke to Vajpayee yesterday minutes ahead of his crucial second round of talks with the opposition leaders to work out a compromise on Musharraf's constitutional amendments.

The deadlock prevailed as the opposition wanted Musharraf to quit as Chief of Army as a compromise but he declined to do so.

Bureau Report