Time to bury the past and move forward: Pak chief on Kashmir dispute

Islamabad : Pakistan's Army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa has been quoted as saying, "it is time for India and Pakistan to bury the past and move forward." His comments came a day after Pakistan PM Imran Khan made similar remarks.

Addressing a session of the first-ever Islamabad Security Dialogue, Gen Bajwa said that the potential for regional peace and development always suffer amid dispute between India and Pakistan.

"We feel it is time to bury the past and move forward," he said, adding that the responsibility for a meaningful dialogue rested with India.

India had said last month that they also wish to have friendly relations with its neighbours, particularly with Pakistan this can happen only in a terror-free environment.

Time to time, India has told Pakistan that 'terror and talks' cannot go together. And Pakistan must take strong steps against terrorism to have talks with India.

On Wednesday, Imran Khan said that India will have economic benefits if they go for peace with Pakistan. “India will have to take the first step. Unless they do so, we cannot do much,” Khan said while delivering the inaugural address at the launch of the two-day Dialogue.

Khan said that having a direct route to the Central Asian region will economically benefit India. Central Asia is rich in oil and gas.

Central Asia, in the modern context, generally includes five resource-rich countries — Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.