Islamabad: The External Affairs Minister, Mr. S.M. Krishna has pledged to begin a new journey in improving relations with Pakistan .He however made it clear that Islamabad needed to act on confessions by terror master David Coleman Headley on the Mumbai terror attack.

Speaking to Media soon after arriving for talks in Islamabad with his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Mr. Krishna emphasised on Headley’s reported admission to both the Indian and American interrogators. He asserted that Pakistan should act on the overwhelming and irrefutable nature of evidence on the involvement of Pakistani actors in the Mumbai attack . The Pakistan-born American Headley, who is now in an American prison, has reportedly confessed to scouting high-profile targets in Mumbai that the Lashkar-e-Taiba could – and did – attack, plunging India-Pakistan relations to a new low.

Mr.Krishna, said the frequent anti-India statements of Lashkar founder Hafiz Saeed, the mastermind of the Mumbai attack, provoke the people of Pakistan against India and such tirade against India will not help smoothen our relationship. In reply to a question on Kashmir situation,he said it is an internal matter of India.

Earlier, in his arrival statement Mr. Krishna said his three-day visit marks the beginning of a new journey in New Delhi’s efforts to build a peaceful, friendly and cooperative relationship between our two countries. He said that all issues of mutual interest and concerns will be discussed in the talks .This he said can contribute to restoring trust and building confidence in our bilateral relationship. Our correspondent reports from Islamabad Relaxation of visa regime, improved people-to-people contacts, additional trade, more cross-border trains and buses, as well as exchange of prisoners are expected to figure in the talks. India has been maintaing that it will be difficult in the long run to carry on a meaningful dialogue until Pakistan takes credible, effective and transparent action against the perpetrators of the Mumbai attack.

Pakistan says, it is approaching talks with a positive mindset and wants to resume the composite dialogue process that India suspended after the Mumbai massacre. The External affairs minister will call on the President and the Prime Minister of Pakistan later in the evening.Before leaving back home on Friday he will meet PML[N] Leadership and exchange views on issues of mutual interest.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Information and Broadcasting Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira has appealed to media from both the countries to act in a balanced manner to build trust and confidence so that all out standing issues can be addressed. Talking to Indian journalists he said that media has to play an important role in preparing the public opinion for taking important decisions to establish lasting peace in the subcontinent.