“Today I had a telephonic talk with Mr Rehman Mallik and invited him to visit India in December 11-13, this year,” said the Indian Home Minister Sushilkumar Sindhe.

He informed that Mallik’s birthday falls on December 12 and he would be glad to celebrate his birthday at Taj Mahal.

Mallik’s visit to India is significant from the point of cementing bonds between the two neighbours.

It is also a good gesture on the part of India to accommodate the visit of the Pakistan Minister in the midst of the busy Parliament session.

The former National Security Advisor of Pakistan Major General Mahmud Ali Durrani is currently in India spreading the message of Aman ki Aasha between the two countries.

Speaking at the Observer Research Foundation here on Tuesday, Gen Durrani said “today the overwhelming sentiment in Pakistan is to let us give peace a chance.”

He expressed his happiness at the new visa regime between the two countries, but said “it is not enough.”

“We need to engage in more people to people contact,” he said.

General Durrani said that there has been a definite shift in the mindset of top army officials in Pakistan.

“I had spoken to General Kayani about the recent betterment in India-Pakistan relations. He said let’s move on,” he said.

According to General Durrani the change in mindset of the leaders of the two countries gives confidence for moving in the right direction.

“In recent times there has been many Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) between the two countries in different areas, like trade, passenger bus service between two parts of Kashmir,” he said.

General Durrani suggested resolving India-Pakistan relations through step-by-step approach and taking up all issues, but not neglecting the difficult ones. “Kashmir issue is important for resolution, but we also need to move on to other issues,” he said.

According to General Durrani, the most important CBM is fostering greater people-to-people contact which should be given the top priority.

Regarding Afghanistan, he said that both India and Pakistan should work jointly for development of that country.
He advocated direct road transit route linking Afghanistan via Pakistan to India.

However, General Durrani cautioned that there were disruptive elements on either sides keen to disturb peace and amity between India and Pakistan. Hence it would not be surprising if terror groups take up their evil designs.”We need to deal with such situation cautiously,” he said.

It may be noted that General Durrani was sacked by the Pakistan Government for admitting that Ajmal Amir Kasab, one of the terrorist of 26/11 Mumbai attack, was a Pakistani national.

He suggested frequent meetings between the intelligence agencies and police officials of the two countries.