Khan vows to hold peace talks with India

RIYADH - Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday vowed to hold peace talks with India following elections in the country, after a similar offer from the former cricketer was "rebuffed".

Khan made the announcement during a speech at a Saudi Arabian investment conference, where the recently elected leader launched a charm offensive targeting potential investors.

"When I won the elections and came to power the first thing I tried to do was extend a hand of peace to India," Khan told the crowd at the Future Investment Initiative in Riyadh, saying the overture was later "rebuffed" by Delhi.

"Now what we are hoping is that we wait until the elections then again we will resume our peace talks with India," he added, referring to upcoming nationwide polls scheduled to take place by mid-May.

In September, India pulled the plug on a rare meeting between its foreign minister and her Pakistani counterpart on the sidelines of a United Nations summit - a move that was termed "arrogant" by Khan and unleashed a barrage of insults from both sides.

India and Pakistan both claim full sovereignty of Kashmir, a Himalayan territory divided between the two neighbors since their independence in 1947.

Delhi has stationed about 500,000 soldiers in the portion of Kashmir it controls.

Khan's call for peace talks came as his government is seeking funds from "friendly" countries, including Saudi Arabia, to shore up Pakistan's finances.

On Tuesday, Pakistan announced Saudi Arabia had agreed to give Pakistan $3 billion in foreign currency support for a year and a further loan worth up to $3 billion in deferred payments for oil imports to help stave off a current account crisis.

Since taking power in August, Khan has also sought loans from countries such as Saudi Arabia, promised to recover funds stolen by corrupt officials, and embarked on a series of austerity measures.

AFP - REUTERS - CHINA DAILY