Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Qamar Zaman Kaira has said that people to people contact at every forum between Pakistan and India will help improve relations between two the neighbouring countries.
He was addressing at a dinner hosted by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting for the journalists visiting Pakistan in connection with SAARC ministerial conference being held here on Friday.
The minister said, "I believe people to people contact between Pakistan and India will help remove misunderstandings and improve relations between the two countries."
He added that Pakistan believes interaction between mediapersons of two countries can take it's message of peace across the border.
The Minister said it is good that dialogue process between Pakistan and India has resumed and ice is melting.
"Dialogue is the only way to resolve all outstanding issues including Kashmir as war is not a solution to any problem," he added.
He was of the view that it would be better for both the countries to utilize their resources for the welfare of their people and to improve their living standard rather than spending huge amount on defence.
He recalled that it was the desire of all political leaders of Pakistan including shaeed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto and Mian Nawaz Sharif to improve relations with India and the leaders have always worked to ease tensions and improve relations between the two countries.
The Minister said Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto had signed Simla Accord with India to normalise relations.
Qamar Zaman Kaira urged India not to discontinue dialogue process due to subversive activities of non-state actors in both the countries wanting to disturb peace in the region.
He asked the Indian leadership to adopt a collective strategy to discourage nefarious designs of non-state actors.
Presently there is trust deficit between the two countries but dialogue process would help bridge the gap between India and Pakistan, the Minister noted.
He highlighted role of media in normalising relations between two countries.
He urged Indian media to appreciate dialogue process between two nations and to work to change the mindset of the people.
He was of the view that media could form public opinion as it would help both the governments to make policies for betterment of their people.
The Minister noted that public opinion has started improving and expressed the hope that the dialogue process would continue to its logical end.