Pak PM congratulates India over World Cup win

Islamabad, Apr 3 (PTI) Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf
Raza Gilani has congratulated Indian Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh on the Indian cricket team's victory in the cricket
World Cup and expressed the hope that sports links between the
two countries will be "fully restored in the near future".
In a message sent to Singh Saturday, Gilani said the
World Cup has been "successful in bringing the cricketing
fraternity even closer and making this sport more popular
around the world".
Gilani "expressed the hope that the sports link between
India and Pakistan will be fully restored in the near future
and the sportsmen of both sides will continue playing their
important role for peace, friendship and amity between
the people of the two countries".
India Saturday lifted the cricket World Cup after a gap
of 28 years with a six-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in the
summit showdown in Mumbai.
He also commended the "excellent performance of the
Indian team throughout the tournament as well as in the final
match".
The semi-final between India and Pakistan, which
generated exceptionally high excitement and interest among the
people of both countries, also provided an "opportunity to
their leadership to advance the peace process and build
bridges of peace, trust and confidence", Gilani said.
India beat Pakistan in the semi-final at Mohali on
March 30 to advance to final with Sri Lanka.
Gilani visited Mohali at Singh's invitation to watch the
match. The two premiers also held talks on the margins of the
match and agreed to resolve all outstanding issues through
dialogue.