Amritsar, Nov 21: Pakistan's former Prime Minister Shujaat Hussain today said his country wants good relations with India but for this New Delhi should come out of the American influence and take independent decisions.
“To have peaceful ties with Pakistan, India should come out of the US influence and take independent decisions,” he told mediapersons at the Information Centre of the Golden Temple here.
Hussain, also president of the Pakistani Kabaddi Association, had come to India to watch the final of the World Kabaddi Cup which concluded in Ludhiana last evening. Hussain said Pakistan has always been keen to have warm and close relationship with India.
He said when the proposal for Iran-Iraq gas and oil pipeline came forward, it was Pakistan which supported it strongly and extended warm welcome.
But, unfortunately, the Indian government ignored the proposal following the intervention of the US, Hussain said. Both India and Pakistan should sort out their differences through dialogue without bowing to pressure of any other nation, especially America, he said.
The former Pakistan Prime Minister said the current scenario was altogether different since trade relations were improving at fast pace.
He said in the past few years, trade between the two nations touched 2.5 billon dollars.
On the Kashmir problem, the former Pakistani Premier said both the nations should resolve such issues through dialogue without involving any third party. There is need for both the nations to come forward and hold talks to end bitterness, he said.
Hussain, on his way back to Pakistan, stayed in the city for a few hours.
He visited Harmandhar Sahib (the Golden Temple) and paid obeisance at sanctum sanctorum.
