<p> Hopeful of normalisation of Indo-Pak ties, Pakistan Premier Yousuf Raza Gilani has described it as a ''compelling necessity'' and said his Interior Secretary will soon visit India to take forward the talks on outstanding issues between the two countries.<br /><br />During a meeting with Minister of State for Planning, Science and Technology and Earth Science, Ashwani Kumar, here on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF), Gilani expressed hope for normalisation of bilateral ties.<br /><br />Kumar, who was here to attend the WEF as an Indian government representative, told PTI that Gilani also asked him to convey his greetings to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and expressed the view that normalisation of relations between the two countries was a "compelling necessity".<br /><br />Kumar said he told Gilani that the people of the two countries have for long yearned for peace and that the recent policy announcements on both sides to facilitate cross-border trade will strengthen the process of normalisation of ties.<br /><br />During their meeting, Gilani said his Interior Secretary will soon visit India to carry forward the official negotiations on outstanding issues.<br /><br />The Minister also met Pakistan Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar and cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan, who too are here to attend the summit.<br /><br />Besides, Kumar participated in a debate on the challenges before the global economy, which was attended by Gilani, as also Prime Ministers of Thailand, Denmark and Finland, IMF chief Christine Lagarde, WTO Director General Pascal Lamy, World Bank President Robert Zoellick and OECD Secretary General Angel Gurrea, among others.</p>
<p> Hopeful of normalisation of Indo-Pak ties, Pakistan Premier Yousuf Raza Gilani has described it as a ''compelling necessity'' and said his Interior Secretary will soon visit India to take forward the talks on outstanding issues between the two countries.<br /><br />During a meeting with Minister of State for Planning, Science and Technology and Earth Science, Ashwani Kumar, here on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF), Gilani expressed hope for normalisation of bilateral ties.<br /><br />Kumar, who was here to attend the WEF as an Indian government representative, told PTI that Gilani also asked him to convey his greetings to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and expressed the view that normalisation of relations between the two countries was a "compelling necessity".<br /><br />Kumar said he told Gilani that the people of the two countries have for long yearned for peace and that the recent policy announcements on both sides to facilitate cross-border trade will strengthen the process of normalisation of ties.<br /><br />During their meeting, Gilani said his Interior Secretary will soon visit India to carry forward the official negotiations on outstanding issues.<br /><br />The Minister also met Pakistan Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar and cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan, who too are here to attend the summit.<br /><br />Besides, Kumar participated in a debate on the challenges before the global economy, which was attended by Gilani, as also Prime Ministers of Thailand, Denmark and Finland, IMF chief Christine Lagarde, WTO Director General Pascal Lamy, World Bank President Robert Zoellick and OECD Secretary General Angel Gurrea, among others.</p>