Indo-Pak ties need to be 'creatively re-invented': Zardari

Rezaul H. Laskar

Islamabad, Sep 20 (PTI) Ahead of his first meeting with
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New York, President Asif Ali
Zardari Saturday said ties with India need to be "creatively
re-invented" with bold commitments and expressed Pakistan's
readiness for launch of cross-Line of Control trade.

Making his first official pronouncements in Parliament
after he assumed office earlier this month, Zardari said
Pakistan would continue to seek the resolution of all
outstanding issues with India, including Kashmir, for peace
and full normalisation of bilateral ties.

Outlining the foreign policy of the Pakistan People's
Party-led ruling coalition, Zardari said: "...with India, the
government believes that the relationship between the two
countries can and should be creatively re-invented."

He also referred to a quote from his slain wife, former
premier Benazir Bhutto, which went: "It is time for new ideas,
it is time for bold commitments, it is time for honesty both
among people and between people. There has been enough pain,
it is time for reconciliation."

Pakistan, he said, would commence cross-LoC trade "as a
new initiative" which will be "a pioneering Confidence
Building Measure (C.B.M.) in Kashmir."

"Driving our relations through enhanced trade we express
our complete commitment to the Kashmiri people in their just
struggle for restoration of their fundamental rights," Zardari
said.

As per an understanding between the two countries, the
cross-LoC trade on Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road was proposed to
be started from October one. An official delegation will be in
Delhi on Monday to discuss modalities.

The chambers of commerce of Muzaffarabad and Srinagar
were also to meet and discuss what items were to be traded.
India had proposed September 22-26 as dates during which the
business delegation from Muzaffarabad would visit Srinagar.
However, Pakistan is yet to respond.

Zardari said, "We also propose a more liberal visa regime
to further expand people-to-people contacts and friendly
exchanges, and establish new facilities for visiting Sikh and
Hindu pilgrims."

"Pakistan has decided to resume the composite dialogue
process with India," he said.

India, which maintains that carrying on the dialogue is
of mutual benefit, however, has made it clear that Pakistan
needs to fulfil its promises made to enable forward movement
in ties which have gone through "difficult times" recently.

Singh is expected to take up with Zardari the issue of
continued cross-border terrorism and ceasefire violations.

Zardari said the Charter of Democracy, which was signed
by the P.P.P. and P.M.L.-N. in 2006, "binds the government to
a framework of peace and justice for the people of Pakistan
and peace and friendship with India".

"We will continue to seek the settlement of all
outstanding disputes, including the dispute of Jammu and
Kashmir, so that the main hurdle in the way towards peace and
full normalisation of relations between Pakistan and India is
removed," Zardari said.

As "another initiative to our relationship with India",
Zardari urged parliament to form a bipartisan caucus for
"resolving outstanding disputes relating to Kashmir and the
Indus waters headworks".

"All parties must be represented in this caucus so that
the nation is united on this key issue and draws strength by
speaking in one voice," said Zardari, who had unveiled plans
for forming the caucus shortly after he was sworn in as
President on September 9.

Zardari, who wore a dark suit and spoke in English,
devoted more time in his maiden address to the joint sitting
of Parliament to Pakistan's ties with India than with any
other country, including traditional allies like China and the
Arab nations.