ISLAMABAD: President Mamnoon Hussain has condemned the terrorist attack on an Indian airbase in Pathankot but reiterated Pakistan’s pledge to support the movement waged by the people of India-held Kashmir for their right to self-determination.

Talking to a delegation of Kashmiri leaders at the presidency on Tuesday, he said: “Pakistan condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, including the Pathankot incident. However Pakistan would continue to adhere to the principled stand of the right of self-determination of Kashmiri people which is the basis of its foreign policy.”

The meeting was attended by Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Muhammad Barjees Tahir, Azad Jammu and Kashmir President Sardar Muhammad Yaqoob Khan, AJK Prime Minister Chaudhry Abdul Majeed, leaders of various political parties based in Azad Kashmir and All Parties Hurriyat Conference.

The meeting was called as part of the commemoration of the Quaid-i-Azam’s birth anniversary.

Lauding the sacrifices rendered by Kashmiris, the president said: “Pakistan would continue supporting the right of self-determination of Kashmiris because Pakistan considers Kashmir as an unfinished agenda of the partition of the subcontinent.”

He recalled a quote of the Quaid-i-Azam on Kashmir who had said that ‘K’ in (word) Pakistan represented Kashmir and Pakistan was incomplete without Kashmir.

“The view of Quaid-i-Azam that Kashmir is the jugular vein of Pakistan is a guiding principle for every Pakistani,” Mr Hussain added.

He said that Pakistan had raised its voice in support of Kashmiris on every political and diplomatic forum and it would continue to play this role in future as well.

The president said that Jammu and Kashmir is a Muslim majority area but attempts were under way to turn this majority into minority. However, he added, such design would never be successful.

He assured the Kashmiri leadership that there would be no change in the principled stand of Pakistan on Kashmir.

Published in Dawn, January 6th, 2016