Pakistan’s new prime minister Imran Khan has offered to start a dialogue with arch-rival India to resolve conflicts between the two nuclear-armed nations.
The offer includes talks on the long-standing dispute over the Kashmir region.
Mr Khan said in order to move forward on issues such as alleviating poverty, the South Asian neighbours must talk to each other to solve their differences.
To move forward Pakistan and India must dialogue and resolve their conflicts incl Kashmir: The best way to alleviate poverty and uplift the people of the subcontinent is to resolve our differences through dialogue and start trading https://t.co/V2UkXp0WwS
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) August 21, 2018
Mr Khan also suggested trade agreements between the two countries as a solution to disputes.
The development comes after Indian prime minister Narendra Modi in his congratulatory message to Mr Khan expressed a desire for talks.
Former cricketer Mr Khan was sworn-in last week after his Tehrik-e-Insaf party won most seats in July elections and formed a coalition.
Pakistan and India have fought two wars over Kashmir since their independence in 1947.
