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| October 23, 2003 | Thursday | Sha’aban 26, 1424 |
PML-Q floats idea of non-governmental body on Kashmir
ISLAMABAD, Oct 22: Pakistan Muslim League-Q has suggested the formulation of a non-governmental Kashmir Committee incorporating members from the opposition and the civil society.
The proposal was floated while receiving an Indian peace delegation that had former member of Indian Rajya Sabha Nirmala Deshpanday as its head at the party headquarters on Wednesday. The ruling party proposed that the committee should be formed on the pattern of the Indian Kashmir Committee.
“The committee should then talk to all groups in Kashmir and even with its Indian counterpart,” said PML-Q Vice President Majeed Malik with senior party leaders Kabir Wasti, Senator Mushahid Hussain, Senator Tariq Azeem sitting in the flanks.
The ruling team had a discussion with the members of the Association of Peoples of Asia, including MP Abdul Rashid Shaheen, peace activists Ilyas Qureshi and Ms Babita Chaudhry.
Majeed Malik pointed out that Pakistan had a Kashmir Committee earlier. Ms Deshpanday was quick to remind him that the said Pakistani Committee was official, whereas its Indian counterpart was not.
There was a consensus among both sides that Pakistan and India should move on and start talking with each other. When it was pointed out to the guests that Pakistan’s official position was to start negotiations, while India was hesitant, she said,” we keep asking the Indian government and we repeat it here that no ‘goli’ but ‘boli’.”
Ms Deshpanday said travel restrictions, particularly the visa regime should at least be relaxed. She said she was not here for politics but was working on a single point agenda that the dialogue should never end. Guftugu band na ho, baat say baat challay, she said while quoting Ali Sardar Jafri.
MP Shaheen said the stage was not for discussing resolution formulas like the ‘Chenab formula.’ “We should first start talking.” Majeed Malik said the PML-Q had reciprocated their efforts.
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