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India’s desire to see a stable and peaceful Pakistan is “encouraging”, said a Pakistani daily which observed that Indian External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna’s message is “a key to many outstanding issues that need resolution sooner rather than later”.

Krishna arrived in Pakistan Friday on a three day visit to review progress on bilateral relations.

Krishna expressed India’s desire to see a stable and peaceful Pakistan.

“This message is not only encouraging but a key to many outstanding issues that need resolution sooner rather than later,” said an editorial in the Daily Times Saturday.

“The issues besetting the two countries are well known and have been talked about plenty of times,” it said, adding that terrorism, water disputes and Kashmir have been highlighted in the foreign secretary level talks held Friday.

The daily observed that “with the realization finally dawning on India and Pakistan about the importance of interdependence within the present global context, the much sought after development in the visa regime is set to materialise with the signing of a liberalised visa issuance policy by the Foreign Minister of Pakistan Hina Rabbani Khar and Krishna”.

Describing it as a “positive step”, the editorial said that it now needs to be followed by a joint and shared approach to defeat terrorism that has become a common scourge for both the countries.

Krishna has said that in case of any recurrence of a Mumbai-like incident, relations between the two countries could lapse and deteriorate.

“This should not happen.

“Obviously Pakistan needs to do more on this front not only because it matters for our relations with India and the region but because the fire of terrorism is fast engulfing Pakistan itself and the sooner we renounce supporting terrorists in the name of different strategies, the better,” the daily said.

Stating that the determination to move forward is “obviously a sign of maturing political will”, the editorial cautioned that there “remains a lingering trust deficit that does not allow even relatively easier issues such as Sir Creek and Siachen to be resolved on a fast track”.

“The building up of economic cooperation is something to celebrate. The process of dialogue has brought us so far and only dialogue could unravel the remaining misgivings. The door should remain open come what may,” it added. (IANS)