LAHORE, Nov 30: The PML-N on Wednesday supported APHC leader Syed Ali Gilani’s point of view on Kashmir, saying Mirwaiz Omer Farooq was deviating from the earlier principled stand by making new proposals.

The party also called for fresh feasibility reports on bigger dams planned by the government as the ones prepared earlier had become irrelevant in the wake of the Oct 8 earthquake.

Vice-president Begum Tehmina Daultana, MNA Saad Rafiq and provincial secretary-general Zaeem Qadri spelled out the party’s point of view on various issues at a news conference.

Referring to demands that Kashmir should be demilitarized, Ms Daultana asked the rulers whether they wanted to set up an autonomous Kashmir. “Have you sought parliament’s opinion before giving yours,” she asked President Musharraf.

She said the role Gen Musharraf had assigned himself was beyond his capabilities, and the exiled leaders should be allowed to come back and give the country a direction.

About the parliamentary committee set up for relief and rehabilitation, the PML-N leader said the opposition parties would not join it unless terms of reference proposed by them were accepted.

She asked the prime minister that before inviting the opposition to become part of the committee, he should empower himself and prove that he was in a position to take decisions.

She doubted that the Nato forces would quit when the government asked them to do so.

Saad Rafiq said the government should take parliament and the provincial assemblies into confidence before announcing any decision on the proposed dams. He said in view of the sensitivity of the matter, no decision should be taken merely because the government had a simple majority in various houses.

He said the quake had raised several questions about the feasibility of new dams, and the government should look into the matter afresh.

He said his party was in favour of demilitarization of Kashmir, but the idea of the United States of Kashmir was against the defence and security of Pakistan.

He said Ali Gilani’s demand that the Kashmir dispute be settled in accordance with the UN resolutions was a better option. He said what was being called back-channel diplomacy could hardly be trusted.

He criticized Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi for his growing contacts with what he called anti-Khalistan elements. He reminded the chief minister that his uncle, Zahoor Elahi, had best relations with “pro-Khalistan” elements.

The PML-N leader said Pervaiz Elahi’s gestures showed as if he planned to contest the next election from Nankana Sahib, a place of religious importance for the Sikh community.

Saad said the PML-N government could not set up Kalabagh dam during its tenure because some federating units were opposed to the project, and his party did not want to go ahead without a national consensus.

Ms Daultana said Gen Musharraf being an all-powerful ruler was in a position to set up the project during the past six years. She regretted that the general did not undertake the project.

Saad said the opposition parties would have attended the Donors Conference if they had been assured that the funds received would be utilized in a transparent way.

Zaeem Qadri called for

the establishment of a judicial commission to look into the Kargil issue.