I am a "man of crisis", Gilani tells Indian MPs

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, currently in the thick of political upheaval, called himself a "man of crisis" when pointed out that his Indian counterpart had rightly called him a "man of peace".

During a meeting with a visiting Indian parliamentary delegation last evening, the lawmakers, including former ministers Mani Shankar Aiyar and Yashwant Sinha, noted that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had "rightly said that Yousuf Raza Gilani was a man of peace".

59-year-old Gilani responded by saying that "in the context of Pakistani politics, he was a man of crisis," according to a statement issued by the premier's office here.

Gilani said his government was committed to a "constructive, sustained and result-oriented process of engagement with India".

He recalled his meetings with Singh at Sharm-el-Sheikh in Egypt, Thimpu in Bhutan, Mohali and the Maldives on the sidelines of the last SAARC Summit.

Referring to his visit to Mohali last year to watch the semi-final of the cricket World Cup between India and Pakistan, Gilani recalled his meeting with Congress president Sonia Gandhi and other top Indian leaders.

These interactions "created an enabling environment" that paved the way for a meaningful dialogue process, he said.

Aiyar and Sinha told Gilani that uninterrupted dialogue can bring peace and stability to both countries on a durable basis.

Such a development "could entitle both the Prime Ministers for a Nobel Peace Prize," they were quoted as saying.