Pakistan urges India air links

The direct Delhi-Lahore bus service resumed last week

Pakistan has followed up the resumption of a direct bus service to India with a proposal for talks on the re-establishment of air links.

A statement from the foreign ministry in Islamabad said Pakistan had "agreed to host experts-level talks between the civil aviation authorities of Pakistan and India to consider all aspects for resumption of air links".

It said dates would be fixed "after mutual consultations".

The proposal had been communicated to Delhi, it said, although an external affairs ministry spokesman in the Indian capital told the BBC it had yet to receive the formal request for talks.

However, Indian foreign ministry spokesman Navtej Sarna said last week that India was ready for a meeting of aviation experts to iron out details of the resumption of bilateral flights.

All direct travel links were suspended after an attack on the Indian parliament in December 2001 that Delhi blamed on Pakistan-based militants.

A recent thaw in ties led to the resumption of the Lahore-Delhi bus service last Friday.

The move was widely welcomed by the citizens of both countries.

The two nations have also resumed diplomatic links.

Last week, the new Pakistani High Commissioner to India, Aziz Ahmed Khan, said the two sides should also now work to restore rail and air links.