Pak wants to settle problems with India 'peacefully': deputy high commissioner

Pakistan wants to shed its past legacy of bitter relations with India and go about resolving bilateral problems with an open mind, Deputy High Commissioner Khalid Khatak said on Thursday.

''We would like to settle all our political problems with India in a peaceful manner, in a spirit of give and take,'' Khatak said in New Delhi.

Commenting on the 'passionate' nature of the Indo-Pak relations, the deputy high commissioner said that the countries could never be indifferent to each other.

"The need of the hour is to channelise this passion in a productive manner," he said.

Khatak identified trade, human resource development, ecology and education as areas where the two countries could benefit greatly by co-operation.

The diplomat claimed his country had liberalised its visa policy vis-a-vis Indians. ''I can categorically say that we are issuing more visas than the Indian high commission in Pakistan," he said. "Also, old people and women are not required to report to police for their visas. For the past two months, visa applications are being processed within 48 hours."

He noted with a degree of ''cautious optimism'' that the process of bilateral dialogue has been resumed. The United Front government, the envoy believed, was by and large positively disposed towards Pakistan.

Khatak, though profuse in non-controversial statements, was mealymouthed when it came to contentious issues. "I am here to listen and understand, not to refute and rebut statements," he said. "I would not like to say anything that would be construed as a comment on India's internal affairs.''