ISLAMABAD, June 4: Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Jamali said on Wednesday that the Kashmir dispute could not be resolved by converting the Line of Control into a permanent border.

Addressing the participants of war course at the National Defence College, the prime minister said “a peaceful settlement of Kashmir issue could not be as simplistic as recognizing the Line of Control as permanent border.”

Mr Jamali said any solution to the Kashmir issue should be encompassing all the parties involved. He said a peaceful and stable South Asia would enable us to face the biggest challenge of combating poverty, hunger and diseases that confronted this region.

The prime minister expressed the hope that India would respond positively to the Pakistan’s peace overtures for initiating meaningful dialogues to resolve all outstanding issues, including the core issue of Kashmir.

The success of the dialogue process would depend on the sincere reciprocity from India, the prime minister added.

Mr Jamali said his government remained committed to a modern, progressive and forward looking Pakistan, as visualized by the Father of the Nation and it would continue to strive for the creation of a welfare state, to translate this vision into a reality.

Pakistan, he said, had been blessed with enormous natural resources and it was up to us to utilize these resources through development of human capital and by creating a conducive environment in the country.

The prime minister said provision of socio-economic justice, security and creation of more job opportunities along with elimination of corruption would be pursued as the most cherished objectives of his government.

About distribution of resources among the provinces, he said established needs of the provinces would form the basis of the new NFC formula, adding that backward areas would be given preference in the allocation of development funds.

The prime minister said Pakistan had all the elements of power which were necessary for a country to take off, provided we inculcate dedication and commitment in our endeavours for good governance, dispensation of justice, institution building, elimination of corruption and accountability.

Earlier, on arrival the prime minister was received by the Commandant of the National Defence College, Lt-Gen Javed Hassan, and other senior army officials. A large number of ministers, parliamentarians and senior army and civil officers were also present on the occasion.