Pak's political parties pledge for better ties with India

Pakistan's major political parties have pledged to work for better relations with India and to resolve outstanding issues like the Kashmir dispute through dialogue while pushing economic ties.
The PML-N, widely tipped to emerge as the single largest party in the May 11 general election, in its manifesto promised to carry out a comprehensive review of Pakistan's security and foreign policies as the country "is at war within while isolated abroad".
It sees the normalisation of relations with neighbours like India as a key element of this new strategy.
The party's manifesto says "it will pursue a policy of normalization with countries with which we have differences, so as to seek their resolution by means of peaceful negotiations, with the objective of establishing cordial and cooperative ties with all countries, especially those that are our neighbours".

The PML-N said it would make "special efforts" to resolve the Kashmir issue in accordance with relevant UN resolutions and the 1999 Lahore Accord and in "consonance with the aspirations of the people" of Kashmir "for their inherent right of self-determination".
The party led by former premier Nawaz Sharif has also tacitly acknowledged India's concerns about terrorism by stating in its manifesto that "non-state actors" were using Pakistan "as a sanctuary to pursue their own agendas".
The PML-N is the only political party to bring up the issue of "water management" in the context of relations with neighbouring countries in its manifesto.

The proper use of river waters will be accorded "urgency and importance", it said.