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Pakistani Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali said in Islamabad Tuesday that the response of Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to his invitation was very encouraging, the Associated Press of Pakistan reported.
After performing a ceremony in Karachi, he told reporters that "I have talked to Vajpayee on telephone Monday evening and invited him to visit Pakistan for talks on bilateral issues."
Responding to a question that a spokesman of Indian Bhartia Janata Party (BJP) has rejected his offer, Jamali said, "I have extended invitation to Indian prime minister and not to BJP. It is too early to expect a response from Indian side. Let's wait and be patient."
"It is not like pushing a button and get the response so soon, it will take some time. Let's be realistic that I have established a contact with Indian leadership after a gap of 18 months," he said.
Pakistani Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed considered the statement of BJP's spokesman as personal views, saying that "these are personal views, we want these issues be resolved through dialogue."
"India has been following dual standard policy but Pakistan will continue to adhere to the policy of seeking peaceful solution of issues," he said.
(Xinhua News Agency April 30, 2003)
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