ISLAMABAD: Both Pakistan and India on Thursday expressed the desire to move past the tense stalemate in their bilateral relationship, but continued to be held back by the core issues of Kashmir and terrorism.

President Mamnoon Hussain in his speech at the main Pakistan Day ceremony in Islamabad the March 23 armed forces parade said: `Pakistan is ready to hold dialogue with India.` But at the same time he emphasised the need for resolving Kashmir issue according to the UN resolutions.

The sharp downslide in the fraught Pakistan-India ties started last July after the Kashmiris launched the latest phase of uprising in the Valley following the killing of militant commander Burhan Wani. SubsequentISLAMABAD: Both Pakistan and India on Thursday expressed the desire to move past the tense stalemate in their bilateral relationship, but continued to be held back by the core issues of Kashmir and terrorism.

President Mamnoon Hussain in his speech at the main Pakistan Day ceremony in Islamabad the March 23 armed forces parade said: `Pakistan is ready to hold dialogue with India.` But at the same time he emphasised the need for resolving Kashmir issue according to the UN resolutions.

The sharp downslide in the fraught Pakistan-India ties started last July after the Kashmiris launched the latest phase of uprising in the Valley following the killing of militant commander Burhan Wani. SubsequentISLAMABAD: Both Pakistan and India on Thursday expressed the desire to move past the tense stalemate in their bilateral relationship, but continued to be held back by the core issues of Kashmir and terrorism.

President Mamnoon Hussain in his speech at the main Pakistan Day ceremony in Islamabad the March 23 armed forces parade said: `Pakistan is ready to hold dialogue with India.` But at the same time he emphasised the need for resolving Kashmir issue according to the UN resolutions.

The sharp downslide in the fraught Pakistan-India ties started last July after the Kashmiris launched the latest phase of uprising in the Valley following the killing of militant commander Burhan Wani. Subsequentmilitant attacks in the Valley and intensified ceasefire violations along the Line of Control and Working Boundary by India further complicate d the relations.

Mr Hussain termed Kashmir an `unfinished agenda of the subcontinent`s partition,` and vowed to continue moral, political and diplomatic support to the Kashmiris.

The president regretted that Delhi`s provocative actions, irresponsible attitude and consistent violation of the LoC and WorkingBoundary were threatening peace.

He urged the international community to fulfil its obligation to maintaining stability and sustainable peace.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended greetings to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on the occasion of Pakistan Day.

In a letter addressed to Mr Sharif, the Indian premier reiterated that maintaining friendly relations ISLAMABAD: Pakistani officials have hosted seven Taliban leaders in Islamabad to try and press them into peace talks ahead of a multination meeting in April in Moscow, according to two Taliban of ficials.

Islamabad has been under international pressure to try and bring Taliban leaders, who have lived in Pakistan since their rule in Afghanistan was overthrown in the 2001 US invasion, to some form of negoti-ations with Kabul.

However, successive attempts have faltered and failed. Last year Pakistan, Afghanistan, China and the United States met to jumpstart the peace process but that effort faltered after a series of deadly Kabul attacks that Afghanistan blamed on militants hiding in Pakistan.

China, Russia and Pakistan are behind the initiative of the April meeting in Moscow. Afghanistan will attend the meeting as will Iran and India. Washington with countries in the neighbourhood, including Pakistan, was a policy priority.

But, at the same time, a source aware of the letter`s contents said, Mr Modi indicated that relations could only move forward in `a terrorism-free environment`.

In his letter, the Indian prime minister reciprocated a similar letter sent to him by his Pakistani counterpart in January this year on the occasion of Republic Day.

Indian President Parnab Mukherjee, meanwhile, in his message to President Hussain said:`India is committed to building ties with Pakistan in an environment free from terror and violence.

Besides, Chinese President Xi Jinping expressed satisfaction over the momentum in Pak-China relations.

In a message, he noted that the two countries` joint venture, the ChinaPakistan Economic Corridor, was moving into the stage of full implementation.

`Endeavours of jointly building China-Pakistan Community of Shared Destiny... conform to the common interests of both countries and the two peoples, and ... conducive to the peace and developmentof the region as well as the whole world,` he underscored and expressed his readiness to take China-Pakistan all-weather strategic cooperative partnership to a new level.

Prime Minister Li Keqiang too expressed similar sentiments.

`The Chinese government has always viewed and developed ChinaPakistan relations from a strategic and long-term perspective. China is willing to work with the Pakistani government to push forward ChinaPakistan all-weather strategic cooperative partnership for new and continuous progress,` he said in a letter addressed to PM Sharif.