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| February 5, 2006 | Sunday | Muharram 6, 1427 |
End to rights abuse in Kashmir demanded
ISLAMABAD, Feb 4: President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Saturday called for ending violence and human rights abuses in the occupied Kashmir and urged the world to push for a just settlement of the issue in conformity with the people’s wishes.
On the occasion of Kashmir Solidarity Day being observed today, President Musharraf reiterated his call for demilitarizing the region to raise the Kashmiris’ comfort level.
The president said an enabling environment was vital for the success of the peace process between Pakistan and India to resolve the Kashmir issue.
The President said, “Rigidity and violence must give way to flexibility and positive engagement.”
President Musharraf said Pakistan had always extended its moral, political and diplomatic support for a just and peaceful solution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with relevant UN resolutions and aspirations of the Kashmiris.
President Musharraf said, “We are engaged in a sincere and purposeful dialogue with India to resolve all outstanding issues including Kashmir which calls for bold decisions and ‘out of box’ thinking to resolve this dispute”.
In a separate message, Prime Minister Aziz urged the international community to take serious notice of the plight of the Kashmiri people.
The prime minister urged India to improve the human rights situation in the Indian occupied Kashmir.
He said the Kashmiris had waged a valiant struggle for their inalienable right against heavy odds and repression by the Indian occupation forces. They have remained undaunted and shown exemplary courage in the pursuit of their noble cause, he added.
The prime minister said: “We have been pressing India to release all political prisoners without further delay … We have maintained that the Kashmiris are a party to the dispute and have to be part of the peace process to make it sustainable and durable.”
The Prime Minister said, “We believe that the visit to Azad Kashmir and Pakistan by the APHC leadership was a step in the right direction.”
President Musharraf and Prime Minister Aziz said the Kashmir Solidarity Day was being observed in the aftermath of a devastating earthquake and the government was engaged in rebuilding the lives and communities in the affected areas with support from the entire nation and generous help from the international community. — APP
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