ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Saturday once again expressed hope in assembling a bond of friendship with India and said that firing across the Line of Control (LOC) is not in favour of either country.

While addressing an International Cultural and Literary Conference in the federal capital, the premier once again extended a hand of friendship towards India and called on the neighbouring country to solve all issues including the Kashmir issue through diplomatic channels.

Sharif recalled former Indian Prime Minister Attal Bihari Vajpayee as a considerate leader who issued historic statements regarding Pakistan.

About the upcoming elections in India, the premier said Indian politicians were taking propaganda as a tool against Pakistan to win popular support, while Pakistan did not do this in its election campaigns.

“Pakistan changed its mode of thinking and India should take a leaf out of Pakistan’s book,” he said.

Sharif said he remained hopeful of better ties with India and expressed his wish to see the country as a peaceful neighbour.

Sharif further said that he as a prime minister invites India to proceed to the process of negotiations and if India takes one step in this direction, Pakistan would take two.

At the end of the conference he said to revamp the image of literary and cultural side of Islam writers in Pakistan would have to play a bigger role. For this purpose he announced a grant of two crore rupees for opening an institute for writers.

Sharif said that Islam was being defamed internationally through terrorism and urged that the religion’s true visage and message should be made clearer to the world.