Pak says peace process with India likely to gain pace after installation of new govt.

The Pakistan Foreign Office has said that it is expecting the peace process with India to gain pace after the installation of the new government.

The Dawn quoted Foreign Office spokesman Aizaz Chaudhry as saying that they are hoping that the dialogue process would pick up momentum in all areas.

The peace process has been on a virtual hold since the violations of the Line of Control in Kashmir at the start of this year.

Tensions resurfaced when Indian prisoner Sarabjit Singh died after an attack by inmates in a Lahore jail and a Pakistani, Sanaullah, was fatally beaten in Jammu jail in a retaliatory attack.

Chaudhry said Pakistan had always emphasised continuity of the peace talks so that outstanding issues could be resolved.

Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, while congratulating PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif on his victory in the May 11 elections, had expressed the hope to work with him to pursue a new destiny in the relations between the two countries.

Dr Singh also invited Sharif to visit India at "a mutually convenient time".

The spokesman said Pakistan was in touch with the Indian authorities over the issue of prisoners.

There are some 300 Pakistani prisoners in Indian jails, of whom 47 have completed their sentences but continue to remain in detention because of delays in completion of release formalities.

The joint India-Pakistan Judicial Committee on Prisoners has made a number of recommendations for humane treatment of prisoners.