RAWALPINDI, Aug 15: Raja Afrasiab Khan, a former judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, on Friday said a fair resolution of Kashmir dispute would not only ensure durable peace in the region but also lead to elimination of ignorance and poverty to the collective well-being of the peoples of Pakistan and India.

In a statement, he said time had come for both the countries when they changed their thinking and approach for the solution of all contentious disputes. He said it was possible only when the two countries learnt to accept each other.

Mr Khan said on the arrival of the unofficial Indian delegation at Wagah, the chairman of the Indian Kashmir Committee, Ram Jethmalani, had said that the solution to the Kashmir dispute should be such that it was acceptable to Pakistan, India and the Kashmiris. Commenting on this, Mr Khan said it was true that there were three mandatory parties to the dispute.

He said the best solution to the Kashmir dispute could be giving the right of self-determination to Kashmiris pledged by India in the United Nations. Raja Afrasiab suggested that the United Nations Security Council’s unanimous resolution on Kashmir should be implemented in phases.

In the first phase, plebiscite should be held in Azad Kashmir and Gilgit followed by Poonch, Rajori, Riasi, Nowshera and areas of Chenab in the second phase and Ladakh, Jammu and Katoha areas in the third and final phase, he added. He urged the leadership of both the countries to not let the hawks sabotage the peace process for the collective good of the people of both the countries.