"Please accept my heartiest congratulations on your assuming the office of the prime minister of India," President Pervez Musharraf said in a message made public by the foreign ministry.

"We in Pakistan welcome your government's resolve to improve relations between our two countries.

"I wish to assure you of our sincere commitment to a just and peaceful solutions of all outstanding issues including Jammu and Kashmir."

Singh, 71, was sworn in earlier as India's first non-Hindu prime minister, nine days after the Congress party's surprise defeat of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party of outgoing premier Atal Behari Vajpayee.

The Sikh economist, born in Gah in present-day Pakistan's Chakwal district in 1932, when it was still part of India, will head a left-leaning coalition.

Singh's statements Thursday committing to forging peace with India's traditional rival have been widely welcomed in Pakistan.

His Pakistani counterpart, Zafarullah Jamali, said Islamabad was confident that under Singh's leadership bilateral relations "will continue to develop and the process of composite dialogue for the resolution of all outstanding issues including Jammu and Kashmir will be productive."

"I look forward to working with you towards the realisation of the common goal of assuring peace and progress for the people of South Asia," Jamali said in his message.

Pakistan and India have fought three wars since the subcontinent was partitioned on independence in 1947, and came close to a fourth conflict in

Singh's successor Vajpayee initiated peace moves 13 months ago. The South Asian neighbours resumed formal dialogue in February after a two-and-a-half-year suspension.

WAR.WIRE