Support for Kashmir cause reaffirmed: APHC team meets Aziz
By Our Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD, June 5: Pakistan on Sunday reaffirmed its support to the Kashmiri leaders’ demand for making the people of Kashmir the third party in future parleys on the 57-year old dispute. Speaking at a joint news conference along with APHC chairman Mir Waiz Umar Farooq, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said they had held fruitful talks on all aspects of the Kashmir issue and had agreed that there were three stakeholders in the dispute — Pakistan, India and the people of Kashmir.
In an apparent shift from Pakistan’s recent position, Mr Aziz declared that Pakistan wanted a settlement of the dispute in consonance with the UN resolutions which called for a plebiscite in both parts of the divided Kashmir under neutral supervision.
Prime Minister Aziz said Pakistan wanted a solution of the Kashmir issue in which the UN resolution was respected and which was acceptable to the people of Kashmir.
Mir Waiz Umar Farooq said that after holding talks with Mr Aziz he was delighted and optimistic that the determination and sacrifices of the Kashmiri people would bear fruit.
He said: “We have been assured by the prime minister that the people and the government of Pakistan are supporting the Kashmir cause and are committed to the solution of Kashmir in accordance with the wishes of Kashmiri people.”
He said: “We are satisfied that the government is doing its best for the Kashmiris’ right to self-determination.” He hoped that both the countries would have to be more focussed in their ongoing dialogue on Kashmir.
Mr Farooq said his delegation would have a chance of increased interaction with the people of Pakistan to discuss the complex issue. “We feel that our visit to Pakistan is a step forward which will be followed by more visits.”
The delegation had earlier held a two-hour meeting with Mr Aziz at the Prime Minister’s House.
The prime minister said he had told the APHC leaders that the people and the government of Pakistan were behind their cause and were of the view that no solution of the Kashmir dispute could be meaningful without involving the people of Kashmir.
Replying to a question, Mr Aziz said Pakistan had been stressing for long that the solution of Kashmir dispute was linked to the wishes of its people and unless they were included in talks no viable and lasting solution could be carved out.
He said the crossing over of the Line of Control by the APHC leaders was a result of the confidence building measures that Pakistan had initiated with India.
He hoped that the APHC leaders’ visit, during which they would meet and interact with the civil society, would help them to assess the love and affection of the common Pakistani people towards the people of Kashmir.
The delegation, he said, would also visit Lahore and Karachi.
ISLAMABAD, June 5: Pakistan on Sunday reaffirmed its support to the Kashmiri leaders’ demand for making the people of Kashmir the third party in future parleys on the 57-year old dispute. Speaking at a joint news conference along with APHC chairman Mir Waiz Umar Farooq, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said they had held fruitful talks on all aspects of the Kashmir issue and had agreed that there were three stakeholders in the dispute — Pakistan, India and the people of Kashmir.
