Pakistan wants resumption of composite dialogue with India

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Friday said it wants the resumption of the formal composite dialogue with India to address "mistrust" between the two countries.

Foreign Office spokesman Aizaz Chaudhry made the remarks in response to questions from reporters at a weekly news briefing.

Referring to the start of back channel diplomacy with India' he said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had appointed former diplomat Shahryar Khan to conduct negotiations.

Khan has visited India and expressed the Pakistani leadership's "strong desire" for good neighbourly relations, he said.

Officials from the two countries are currently working out dates for the next round of talks between the two sides. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is expected to meet his Pakistani counterpart on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session in New York in September.

In response to another question, Chaudhry expressed concern over the alleged desecration of the Quran in Jammu and Kashmir and called for a speedy probe into the matter.

Replying to another question on whether Pakistan would review its policy on US drone attacks' Chaudhry said the policy of the current PML-N government on the issue is not a secret.

Pakistan has "forcefully" raised the issue of drone attacks with the US and made it clear that they violate the country's sovereignty and international laws, he said.

Drone attacks are counter-productive because they further fan militancy. He said, "We have a strong position on drone attacks and a debate has started in the international community against them."