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| September 18, 2003 | Thursday | Rajab 20, 1424 |
‘World should help begin peace process’
LONDON, Sept 17: Pakistan’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom Dr Maleeha Lodhi has urged the international community to go beyond crisis management in South Asia and help begin a sustained peace process in order to find a solution to the Kashmir issue.
Addressing 22 British MPs at a function organized by All Party Pakistan Parliamentary Group’s Labour MP Muhammad Sarwar at the House of Commons here late Tuesday, she said the international community should not just act like a fire brigade over Kashmir because the region needed its sustained engagement.
Introducing Dr Maleeha, MP Tom Cox said that MPs were delighted to welcome her and said they attached deep attention to Pakistan and would continue to work for its complete return to the Commonwealth.
The global community should help put in place a peace process between Pakistan and India and ensure its sustenance for a just settlement of the issue of Kashmir, Dr Maleeha said.
“Pakistan is willing to go the extra mile for peace but so far its readiness for substantive talks has not been reciprocated by India,” she said.
She said there was an agreed framework between the two sides under which they could begin their composite, substantive dialogue. She referred to the eight-point agenda agreed between them during past talks.
Those present on the occasion included Junior Minister for Home Office Fiona Mactaggart, Chairman of All Party Pakistan Parliamentary Group Tom Cox, MPs Peter Pike, Keith Vaz, Eric Joyee, Ernie Ross, Malcom Svidge, Sturat Bell, Michael Fister, Rogre Corale, Gerarld Kufman, Jenny Tongue, Khalid Mahmod, Mark Handrick, John Taylor, Rudi Vic, Lord Nazir Ahmed and Labour National Executive Committee member Shahaid Malik.
“Our region still lacks a peace process and we have much to learn from your experience in Northern Ireland”, she said and told British MPs that the four steps proposed by President General Pervez Musharraf for the solution of the Kashmir issue were very similar to elements in Irish peace process.
“We are committed to a political approach as there is no military solution to the issue.”
Pakistan, she said, was an indispensable partner in the global war against terrorism.
“We will not be deterred in our resolve to fight terrorism as Pakistan has so far arrested 500 suspected terrorists and 400 of them have been extradited,” she said.
Pakistan would not indulge in arms race in the region as it believed that resources should be utilized in poverty alleviation and development of the country. It wanted to solve all its outstanding differences with India through peaceful means, she said.
Dr Maleeha replied to many questions put to her by MPs and gave Pakistan’s viewpoint in an impressive way.
She told British MPs that the Pakistan High Commission was a “gateway to Pakistan” and wanted to have a regular dialogue and partnership with members of British Parliament.
Responding to a question about direct air flights between Islamabad and New Delhi, she said, the two sides held first round of talks recently on the issue and hopefully would continue their parleys. But she recalled it was India that had suspended air links.—APP
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