Admitting there was trust deficit on both sides,Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has made a strong pitch for sustained progress in the peace dialogue between Pakistan and India. I am greatly looking forward to receiving Foreign Minister S M Krishna in Islamabad on July 15, Qureshi told The Indian Express on the sidelines of the Cica summit here,adding that since war between two nuclear armed neighbours was not an option,dialogue was essential to resolve all issues. He said though there were still serious challenges in taking the peace process forward,much progress had been made in Thimphu,and President Asif Ali Zardari,Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh were all committed to the dialogue and peace process. On confidence-building measures,Qureshi said,I have in fact a number of more ideas in mind for further CBMs but I will discuss those in my meeting with Foreign Minister S M Krishna next month. Warning that the peace process could yet again be scuttled by extremist elements on both sides,he said both countries must avoid falling prey to such elements and work concertedly to defeat the designs of a minority that perpetuate attacks like the one in Mumbai. There is after all a strong constituency for peace on both sides that wants normalisation, he added. Indian public opinion must understand that Pakistan too is suffering,innocent lives are being lost, the minister said when asked how he would respond to Indian public opinion which believes that Pakistan has not done enough to punish the perpetrators of 26 Qureshi made an appeal to the media organisations on both sides to support the peace process this time around.
