KARACHI, April 5: Kashmiris want peaceful resolution of Kashmir issue and desire their induction in the ongoing peace process between Pakistan and India as basic stakeholders. This was stated by AJK Peoples Party president Sahibzada Ishaq in a news conference on Tuesday. Mr Ishaq said that Kashmiris had given tremendous sacrifices for their inalienable rights but admitted that war was not the way to resolve the issue, especially in a nuclearized environment. He said that international community and majority of the people of Pakistan and Kashmir were in favour of a peaceful, lasting and just resolution of the dispute trough dialogue. He said that unless Kashmiris were included in the ongoing peace process as equal and principal partners, lasting peace would be a far cry.

He paid tributes to former prime minister and PPP founder Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and his daughter Benazir Bhutto for advancing the cause of the Kashmiri people and bringing them on the centre stage of world.

Appreciating the decision to start Muzaffarbad-Srinagar bus service, Sahibzada Ishaq said that it was originally suggested by Ms Bhutto to facilitate divided families to meet each other. He said that his party also demanded exchange of lawyers, intellectuals and politicians from either side of the LoC.

On the occasion, he announced that a large number of Kashmiris would welcome Asif Ali Zardari on his arrival in Lahore.