Islamabad, July 31 - For the second time in as many days, Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani Friday lauded the 'vision and leadership' of his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh even as he reiterated that the composite dialogue process was 'the only way forward' for the two countries.

'I must appreciate the vision and leadership of Dr. Manmohan Singh for his speech in parliament (Wednesday on the July 16 India-Pakistan joint statement issued at Sharm el-Sheikh),' Gilani told reporters after inaugurating the Islamabad Stock Exchange Towers.

'It is the role of the leaders to serve as a bridge, rather than erecting walls,' he said, adding: 'If the composite dialogue does not start, it will only favour the terrorists.'

On Thursday too, Gilani had lauded the 'statesmanship' of Manmohan Singh, terming his speech in parliament a 'bold vision of peace and prosperity'.

Under fire from the opposition, Manmohan Singh Wednesday asserted that there was no dilution or rupture of national consensus on countering terrorism emanating from Pakistan, but made it clear that there was no alternative but to continue the engagement with Islamabad.

Allaying apprehensions over the move to delink action on terrorism from the composite dialogue process as contained in the India-Pakistan joint statement, Manmohan Singh said in the Lok Sabha that bilateral engagement or the dialogue process can't move forward if terrorist attacks continue from across the border.

'It is, therefore, in our vital interest to make sincere efforts to live in peace with Pakistan. But despite the best of intentions, we cannot move forward if terrorist attacks launched from Pakistani soil continue to kill and injure our citizens, here and abroad,' he said.