Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif extended his best wishes to India on its 69th Independence Day on Saturday and said his country wants "good neighbourly relations" with India.
"I would like to reiterate that promoting friendly, cooperative and good neighbourly relations between our two countries is in our mutual interest," IANS quoted Sharif as saying in his message.
"We in Pakistan sincerely hope to settle all our bilateral issues through a sustained and comprehensive dialogue and usher in a new era of mutual trust and cooperation," the High Commission of Pakistan in New Delhi tweeted citing Sharif's message.
Pakistan President Mamnoon Hussain too reiterated that Pakistan wants peaceful relations with India.
"Pakistan remains committed to promote friendly relations between the countries for peace and prosperity in the region... It is our belief that cooperative relations between India and Pakistan will immensely benefit our two peoples," Hussain said.
The leaders' remarks on peaceful relations came even as Pakistani troops violated ceasefire early on Saturday when India celebrated its Independence Day.
India celebrated its 69th Independence Day on Saturday, while Pakistan celebrated its Independence Day on 14 August. Even as both the nations shared greetings with each other, Pakistani troops violated ceasefire many times since Friday.
Two civilians were injured on Saturday after Pakistan resorted to unprovoked firing along the Line of Control in Mandi and Saujian sectors of Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district, soon after Prime Minister Narendra Modi unfurled tricolour at the iconic Red Fort in Delhi.
