Islamabad: Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani while stressing the need to resolve the long-standing Kashmir dispute said on Thursday that this dispute is central to Pakistan-India relations and holds the key not only to regional but also to global peace.
“The world powers have, once again, reiterated their concern on the centrality of this festering dispute to the peace efforts and called for its early resolution. We fully support, and indeed encourage, international efforts to this end.
“We also believe that no solution of the issue can be durable if it does not reflect the genuine aspirations and wishes of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. Kashmiris should therefore be associated with the dialogue process”, Gilani said while addressing the Kashmir Convention held here at PNCA auditorium in connection with the Kashmir Solidarity Day.
Yasin Malik, Chairman Kashmir Committee, Maulana Fazalur Rehman and President Azad Jammu and Kashmir (Pakistan occupied Kashmir) Raja Zulqarnain also addressed the convention.
Prime Minister Gilani said before the Mumbai incident, Pakistan was constructively engaged with India under the Composite Dialogue Process, with Kashmir issue a critical component of that dialogue.
He said a number of Kashmir related Confidence Building Measures had been agreed and implemented, which also included operating three crossing points across the Line of Control through bus services and the frequency of bus service between Srinagar-Muzaffarabad and Poonch-Rawalakot increased from fortnightly to weekly.
The Prime Minister saidthat due to the keen interest of President Asif Ali Zardari intra Kashmir trade across the Line of Control commenced from May 21, 2008.
“These measures had been guided by our desire to reduce the sufferings of Kashmiris and help create an environment conducive for the settlement of this long standing dispute”, he added.
Prime Minister Gilani, however, regretted that the tragic Mumbai incident not only led to a pause on the Composite Dialogue but also cast a dark shadow on Pakistan-India relations and threatened the regional peace.
He said Pakistan has stressed the need for engagement and resumption of the Composite Dialogue, adding, “We have impressed upon India and the rest of the world that focus of the efforts of the two countries should remain on countering terrorism which is the real issue.”
The Prime Minister said Pakistan has been affected by terrorism and is therefore determined to deal with it unilaterally, bilaterally, regionally and globally.
“We have further stressed that counter-terrorism requires pragmatic cooperation rather than resorting to hostile propaganda or threat of use of force”, he added.
Prime Minister Gilani said Pakistan has demonstrated its readiness to engage constructively with India to resolve this longstanding dispute.
He hoped that the peace process would resume soon and become result oriented in addressing all outstanding issues including the issue of Jammu and Kashmir.
Meanwhile, Yusuf Gilani demanded an end to human rights violations in the Indian Occupied Kashmir and urged the international community to play its role for a just resolution of the lingering dispute.
Addressing the Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir's Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly and Council on the Kashmir Solidarity Day here at the PM House, Gilani said the Kashmir issue needs to be resolved according to the UN Resolutions and aspirations of its people.
Besides the AJK President, the Prime Minister, Speaker of AJK Assembly and members of the AJK Legislative assembly and Council, Federal Minister for Kashmir and Northern Areas Affairs Qamar Zaman Kaira, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Ms Sherry Rehman, Minister for Law and Justice Farooq Naek and Minister for Labour and Manpower Syed Khursheed Ahmad Khan were also present.
Comments
0 comment