24 June 2004	Thursday	05 Jamadi-ul-Awwal 1425

Please Visit our Sponsor (Ads open in separate window)

ISLAMABAD, June 23: Prime Minister Zafarullah Khan Jamali said on Wednesday he was hopeful that the Kashmir dispute would be resolved soon as both Pakistan and India were showing commitment to settle all contentious issues between them.

Talking to reporters at the parliament house after a meeting of the parliamentary parties of the PML and its allies, he described the recent talks between Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri and his Indian counterpart Natwar Singh as very good and encouraging.

He said Kashmir remained the core issue at the talks and added that the two countries were heading towards a lasting solution acceptable to both sides. He said that the secretary-level talks between the two countries would be held soon to pave the way for a higher-level dialogue.

The prime minister said Pakistan would continue its efforts for resolving all issues with India through a 'composite dialogue' and hoped that some honourable solution of the Kashmir dispute would be found soon.

In reply to a question about his meeting with opposition leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Tuesday, he said he had tried to convince the maulana to attend the National Security Council meeting on Thursday.

Earlier, the ruling coalition parliamentary party reposed full confidence in the leadership of Mr Jamali. PML president Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain told reporters that the party was with the prime minister.

Please Visit our Sponsor (Ads open in separate window).