Pakistan Gives High Priority To Improved Ties With India: Envoy

New Delhi, July 17, IRNA -- Asserting that it accords high priority for improvement of ties with India, Pakistan Tuesday said ˈall branchesˈ of its government have been given ˈclear policy directivesˈ to work towards it. Pakistan also said normalization of trade relations with India was a priority and said ˈsky is the limitˈ for deeper economic cooperation between the two countries. ˈThe government of Pakistan and in particular the government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is clear, categorical in according high priority to improvement of relations with India,ˈ Pakistan High Commissioner to India Salman Bashir said here. He added this has been stated ˈvery explicitlyˈ by Sharif not only prior to his partyˈs win in the May 11 general elections ˈbut also in fact after that it has been translated into clear policy directives to all branches of the government of Pakistan to work to improving relations with Indiaˈ. Bashir, who was addressing a gathering at the PHD Chambers, also spoke about the need for security and stability in the region and also touched upon the desire to develop SAARC on the lines of the European Union. ˈThe logical course for the history to proceed is for these two countries to become good neighbors, friends and that is not only for the people of Pakistan and India but also forms a critical ingredient in realizing the vision of a prosperous and peaceful South Asia,ˈ Bashir said./end