ISLAMABAD, June 9: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has said that new developments have taken place in the search for a solution of the 57-year-old Kashmir dispute with the involvement of Pakistanis, Indians and the Kashmiris. “An opening has been made to find out a solution of the Kashmir problem in accordance with the wishes of the three stakeholders,” he added.

Speaking at a news conference at his chamber in parliament on Thursday, the prime minister said that he had held constructive and fruitful meeting with the visiting leaders of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC).

“I would again be meeting the Hurriyat leaders before they go back,” he said, adding that their meetings with the president and other Pakistani leaders went well and that time was not far away when the resolution of Kashmir problems would be found out according to the aspirations of the Kashmiris.

Mr Aziz said that it was a good opportunity to have detailed discussions with the APHC leaders on Kashmir.

“There is certain progress in talks with the Indians over Kashmir and now with the Hurriyat leaders”, he said, adding that continued consultations would help settle issues between India and Pakistan.

He said that now as the APHC leaders were also meeting the Pakistani leadership, it was becoming easy to settle the Kashmir dispute as early as possible.

The prime minister did not offer a comment when reminded that the Indian government had objected to the visit of the APHC leaders beyond Azad Kashmir. “I could only tell you that our meetings with the APHC leaders were very good and could lead to a solution of the problem”, he said.

Answering a question, he said that foreign office had been directed to collect details of the arrest of two Pakistanis in the USA on the suspicion of having links with Al Qaeda.