Washington (PTI): Taking note of the "trust deficit" in its relations with India, Pakistan has sought removal of the "air of mistrust" as it said the people of the two countries have outpaced the governments in their desire for normalisation of bilateral ties.

"I see a desire on both sides for normalisation. My feeling is that people have outpaced the governments.... This region has suffered because of our acrimony and hostility, and the world is moving on and we are lagging behind. Nobody is going to be waiting for us," Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, who is on a visit here, told 'The Washington Post'.

Pointing out that he had recently visited New Delhi, he said he told Indian officials there that "an opportunity has come and if they do not grab, it will go."

The response from the Indian officials to a rapprochement was positive, the Pakistani minister said.

His comments to The Post were quite similar to what he had said during a lecture at Brookings Institution on Friday.

"And I feel a positive development in our relationship. I see a desire on both sides to move on and get things done -- move on in trade issues, move on people-to-people contacts," he said replying to a question.

"I think the political leadership in Pakistan that has been elected after the general elections on February 18 is supportive of that. So we stand nothing to gain for any such mis-adventure. So please start trusting," Qureshi said.

"There is a trust deficit and we have to build on trust. I will try my best to remove that air of mistrust," he added.

In his formal remarks to the think tank, Qureshi had insisted that the time has come for the two countries to get out of the cycle of hostility, acrimony and mutual suspicions.