ISLAMABAD, March 26: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said on Monday that the settlement of Kashmir issue in line with the wishes and aspirations of Kashmiri people has the potential to change the destiny of over one billion people of South Asia.

Talking to Yaseen Malik, head of Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front leader who called on him here, the prime minister said: “Pakistan valued the sacrifices rendered by Kashmiri people to attain their inalienable right to self-determination and it will continue to extend moral and political support to the people of Jammu and Kashmir in their just struggle.”

Prime Minister Aziz said Pakistan was committed to the composite dialogue process and always held the position that Kashmiris were the main stakeholders to the dispute and they need to be involved in the ongoing peace process.

He said: “A durable settlement of the Kashmir issue was in the interest of all three parties, the Kashmiris, Pakistan and India.”

He said Pakistan was hopeful that these efforts would positively contribute towards evolving a just and durable settlement in accordance with the wishes of the Kashmiri people.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz in a meeting with federal Minister for States and Frontier Regions Sardar Yar Mohammad Rind reviewed the pace of Afghan refugees’ repatriation and said Pakistan desires gradual return of Afghan refugees to their homeland so that they could take part in the reconstruction process in Afghanistan.

Mr Rind updated the prime minister about facilitating Afghan refugees to return to their homeland in close coordination with the UNHCR and extending every possible help to the refugees. He said the government was providing $100 per person so that Afghan refugees could restart life back home.

DEPUTY SPEAKER: Mohammad Akbar Loan, deputy speaker of the Indian-held Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, has expressed his optimism about the resolution of Kashmir conflict in line with the proposals floated by President Gen Pervez Musharraf.