ISLAMABAD: Even as India declared yet again that Pakistan had failed to create the right conditions for a dialogue between the two countries, Pakistan PM Imran Khan reiterated his stance of a dialogue with New Delhi, saying his country hopes to spend more on human development than on purchasing arms.

In an interview with Russian news agency, Sputnik, ahead of leaving Islamabad for Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Bishkek, Khan said Pakistan believed that progress comes with peace and was willing to pursue all options - including international mediation - to resolve issues with India.

Khan's remarks came hours before the banquet by Kyrgyzstan President Sooronbay Jeenbekov, which he attended along with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi. In the absence of any formal dialogue, sources said, nothing more than a handshake or a quick exchange of pleasantries was expected.

"Pakistan is looking for any kind of mediation because it believes progress comes with peace. When you have tensions with your neighbours, it detracts from resources that could be spent on human beings. They end up getting spent on unproductive things like arms," the Pak PM said.

"And so we believe in peace with all the neighbours, especially with India ... It is my belief that the money should be spent on getting people out of poverty. And our emphasis should be peace, resolving our differences through dialogue."

Elaborating on Islamabad's efforts for peace with New Delhi, Khan said Pakistan has repeatedly conveyed its willingness to talk. "There is no way two nuclear-armed countries should think of resolving differences through military means. ...Now that the (Indian) elections are over we hope that the Indian leadership will grasp this opportunity... let's resolve all our differences through dialogue ."

"We hope now that current PM [Narendra Modi] has one big mandate, we hope that he will use this mandate to develop a better relationship and bring peace in the subcontinent."

He further stated that peace among India and Pakistan was entirely dependent on the issue of Kashmir. "The only difference, if we resolve that there will be peace in the subcontinent, that's Kashmir. Unfortunately, Kashmir can only be resolved if the people of Kashmir are given the right of self-determination, which was guaranteed to them by the United Nations in 1945."

"This use of force by the Indian government to subdue has backfired. The more force there has been used, the more the people of Kashmir have turned against the Indian government, the more radicalisation has come in the young people of Kashmir. And it is a future source of destabilisation of the continent. That's why it is very important to resolve the Kashmir issue."

Asked whether he finds his participation in the SCO helpful for improving relations with India, Khan said: "The SCO provide all member-countries fresh outlets to develop relationship with one another. And that means, of course, India as well."

At the moment, t he PM said his country's bilateral relationship with India is, probably, at its lowest point. "And, yes, it will be an opportunity to speak to the Indian leadership during this SCO conference," he added.