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Either we`ll convince India or get convinced: Jamali
Islamabad, May 14: In yet another peace salvo directed at India, Pakistan PM Zafarullah Khan Jamali today said it is time the two countries engaged themselves in a free and frank dialogue. On the manner in which peace has to be achieved, he said: `Either we will convince them (New Delhi) or get convinced`.
Islamabad, May 14: In yet another peace salvo directed at India, Pakistan PM Zafarullah Khan Jamali today said it is time the two countries engaged themselves in a free and frank dialogue. On the manner in which peace has to be achieved, he said: "Either we will convince them (New Delhi) or get convinced".
Stressing that peace in the region would work to the advantage of India and Pakistan, he said: "I hope (a thaw in India-Pakistan ties) would lead to a better future for the two countries as well as the entire region".
Jamali was speaking on Tuesday at the inaugural session of the three-day Pakistan Development Forum (PDF) here.
"After 18 months of stalemate both the countries have started talking with a positive approach. I hope it would be better for the future of the two countries and the region," Jamali said.
Meanwhile, Pakistan setting the process of releasing Indian prisoners in motion, said it would free 20 of them on Saturday at the Wagah border point in Punjab.
"In pursuance of the decision taken by Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali`s on May 6, Pakistan has decided to release 14 crew members of the Indian cargo boat `Raj Laxmi` as well as six Sikh youth whose national status has been confirmed by the Indian government," an official statement said here late last night.
It said that 16 other Sikhs will be released shortly after their national status is verified by Indian government.
On his telephonic conversation with Vajpayee this month, Jamali said his emphasis was on the economy.
Economic challenges, like issues linked to the World Trade Organisation regime, remained the same for both the countries, he said. "We do not want change (history) by wars, but by changing the political culture," the Prime Minister said, maintaining that politics had to give way to economics.
India and Pakistan are trying to mend their uneasy and tense ties after Vajpayee last month extended a "hand of friendship" to Islamabad, sparking off events and developments that could lead to another summit between the heads of the two South Asian rivals.
Bureau Report