Amid a chill in Indo-Pak ties, political leaders and prominent journalists from the two countries have met here and underlined that the only way forward to improve relations was through a “candid and consistent” dialogue.
The fifth round of ‘Pakistan-India Legislators and Public Officials Dialogue’ was held on Sunday and facilitated by Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (PILDAT).
Under the leadership of Mani Shankar Aiyar, former MP and union minister, delegates from India included MLAs from Delhi, Rajasthan and Haryana. Some prominent journalists from India also attended the event.
The topics on the agenda were the role of media in improving relations between Pakistan and India and how to positively take forward the ‘Fight Poverty’ agenda.
The participants underscored that while media can play a role in positively influencing ties between the two countries, the essential responsibility to chart a course in this regard remains with elected leadership in both India and Pakistan.
“It was also recognised, at the outset, that while dialogue is the only way forward for two countries to improve relations, candid and consistent dialogue aimed at conflict resolution can only take place when the two states recognise and address the issues such as those included in the Composite Dialogue 1997 and the Comprehensive Dialogue 2015,” a statement said.
