Manmohan for better ties with Pakistan

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday congratulated new Pakistan Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf on his appointment and expressed the hope that the two countries would continue to make progress in their bilateral dialogue.

“I am confident that during your term as Prime Minister, our two countries will continue to make progress in their bilateral dialogue on all issues and build good neighbourly relations by strengthening their cooperation in all areas for the benefit of the people in both countries,” Manmohan Singh said in his congratulatory message from Pretoria, while en route to New Delhi after the Rio+20 summit in Brazil.

The Indian leader also conveyed his “best wishes for success in your (Ashraf) new assignment as well as for the peace, prosperity and well-being of the people of Pakistan under your leadership”.

Incidentally, both Manmohan and Ashraf hail from the same Potohar region in Pakistan. While Manmohan Singh, born in 1932, originally belongs to Gah village in Chakwal district, Ashraf hails from Gujar Khan.

Pakistan Army Chief General Parvez Kayani also hails from the same tehsil as Ashraf.

A Bhutto family loyalist, 61-year-old Ashraf was sworn in on Friday night by President Asif Ali Zardari, after he was elected by the Pakistan National Assembly. 

A new Cabinet, which included several members of the erstwhile ministry, was also sworn in.