Speaking at a Pakistan government-run think tank's founding anniversary, Pakistan Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said: "Pakistan does not believe in perpetual hostility."
About a decade of hostilities between two countries, Pakistan now wants to normalise its relations with India amid its crisis-ridden economy.
Speaking at a Pakistan government-run think tank's founding anniversary, Pakistan Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said: "Pakistan does not believe in perpetual hostility."
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He also said: "We want good-neighbourly relations with India on the basis of sovereign equality, mutual respect, and a just and peaceful resolution of the Jammu & Kashmir dispute."
His statement assumes significance and believed to be opening a channel for Islamabad-New Delhi talks on bilateral issues as the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi assumes charge for the third time.
On the occasion, the deputy prime minister of Pakistan also said that the governments of both countries owed peace to South Asia to prioritise cooperation over discord.
"Since the region lagging far behind on HDI (human development indices), illiteracy, disease, food and water scarcity, beset by poverty, unemployment, natural disasters, environmental degradation, and climate change," Dar added.
However, he further added Pakistan wouldn't acquiesce to unilateral dictates by India though it remained open to comprehensive dialogue on all outstanding issues.
"We will also take every step needed to maintain strategic stability in South Asia and would respond effectively and decisively to any ill-considered military misadventure by the 'Hindutva' driven dispensation in New Delhi," the deputy prime minister said.
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Ever since the withdrawal of Article 370 from the state of Jammu & Kashmir in August 2019, the two countries has been witnessing strain ties and has hit an all-time low.
However, the prime ministers of both the countries have exchanged wishes on taking over the charge.