RAWALPINDI, Feb 7: India has an edge over Pakistan with regard to the Kashmir dispute due to the former's strong and effective diplomacy, Kashmir Women Forum chairperson Prof Shamim Shaal said.

She was speaking as chief guest at a function held in connection with Kashmir Solidarity Day at the Government Postgraduate College for Women, 6th Road.

The Kashmiri women representative said the international community was more tilted towards India because of its strong diplomatic manoeuvres.

Unlike this, Pakistan has a weak diplomacy and casual approach towards the issue.

She attributed the hurdles in resolving the dispute to weak diplomacy on the part of Pakistan.

"The tragedy is that ad hoc policies are applied on every issue," Prof

Shaal said, adding that "towards an issue as serious as Kashmir, we have an adhoc approach". As a result, the solution remains intractable, she maintained.

She said sensible policies should be adopted to handle the issue, leaving aside emotional approach.

Talking about Indian atrocities on Kashmiris, Prof Shaal said 0.6 million troops stationed in the occupied valley had unleashed a reign of terror. Thousands of Kashmiris have been killed, rendering about 0.12 million children orphan.

Pakistani government as well as the philanthropists should take some practical steps for the rehabilitation of these children, she said.

Speaking on the occasion, the college principal, Munaza Rehman, also stressed on the proper look after of such children. Only verbal assurances and commitment will not work, she said, adding that there was a need for pragmatic steps to settle the orphan Kashmiri children. Even a single rupee contribution in this respect will help rehabilitate these children, she maintained.

Earlier, a speech competition was held between the students of different colleges.

The colleges whose students took part in the contest included Government Degree College for Girls Mohanpura, Government Degree College for Girls Peshawar Road, Government Khadija Omar Inter College for Girls Tench Bhata, Government Degree College for Girls Khayaban-i-Sir Syed and the host college. The students spoke about the Kashmir dispute, highlighting its different aspects and also the plight of Kashmiris.

Ms Hira from the host college got first prize in speech competition, while Asifa Iqbal, also from the host college, bagged first prize in the national song contest. In the end, the chief guest distributed awards among the winners.