MUZAFFARABAD, Feb 5: Pakistan has reassured the people of occupied Kashmir of steadfastness in extending political, moral and diplomatic support to their struggle for freedom.

The assurance came in a message by caretaker prime minister Mohammedmian Soomro on the Kashmir Solidarity Day, which was observed in Pakistan and Azad Kashmir on Tuesday. Mr Soomro was scheduled to address a joint meeting of the AJK Legislative Assembly and the AJK Council in Muzaffarabad to mark the day, but had to cancel the visit because of inclement weather. Speaker Shah Ghulam Qadir read out Mr Soomro’s message in the assembly. Mr Soomro said it unfortunate that the United Nations had not lived up to its commitment to Kashmiris made 60 years ago.

Pakistan, he said, was pursuing a sustained dialogue with India for a peaceful solution to the Kashmir issue in accordance with the wishes of Kashmiri people.

“The flexibility shown by Pakistan is reflective of its sincere desire to build an environment of peace and to ameliorate the sufferings of the Kashmiris,” he said, recalling that Islamabad had initiated several Kashmir specific confidence-building measures with India.