LAHORE, June 12: Pakistan adheres to its point of view that solution to the Kashmir dispute lies in the implementation of the UN resolutions, but it may show flexibility if India reciprocates, Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed says.

Answering a question at a news conference here on Sunday, he made it clear that Islamabad would never accept the Line of Control as international border. However, he declined to spell out what else was not acceptable to Pakistan as a solution to the 57-year-old problem.

Islamabad, the minister said, would welcome a solution acceptable to all three parties to the dispute.

Sheikh Rashid has submitted his papers to the relevant authorities for a “personal” visit to occupied Kashmir by the Muzaffarabad-Srinanagr bus on June 30. He has informed the Indian high commissioner in Islamabad that he plans to take a media team with him, which, if permitted, will go via New Delhi.

During his stay in occupied Kashmir, the minister said, he would meet with all Kashmiri leaders, including Syed Ali Geelani and Shabbir Shah.

He supported the APHC leaders’ current visit to Pakistan and their subsequent plan to meet the Indian leaders in an attempt to resolve the dispute.

He urged India to start confidence-building measures (CBMs) by allowing the human rights organizations, the Red Cross and other NGOs to visit held Kashmir. Also, he said, innocent people detained in occupied Kashmir should be set free and those missing should be traced.

Asked whether the desire expressed by various people for Kashmir’s accession to Pakistan had not vanished, Sheikh Rashid said at the moment he was not in a position to say what the ultimate solution would be.

When a reporter sought the government’s point of view on an autonomous Kashmir, he said Pakistan was in favour of “wait-and-see” policy at the moment.

Answering a question, the minister said President Bush and Prime Minister Tony Blair were in a position to bring the Kashmir solution closer.

He said Syed Ali Geelani was a reality and his sacrifices would be valued. Replying to a question, the minister said Gen Pervez Musharraf would stay on as president even after 2007, when his first five-year term comes to an end. But, he said, it was for him to decide whether he would contest with or without his military uniform.

Asked about the ruling PML’s viewpoint on the subject, Sheikh Rashid said: “The uniform belongs to the army and the ruling party’s opinion on the subject is immaterial.”

Dismissing rumours that the prime minister was on his way out, the minister said Mr Shaukat Aziz would remain in the saddle till the next elections. He said the rumours had caused a loss of Rs35 billion to Rs75 billion and the government had ordered an inquiry to find out the elements who had spread them.

He saw no chance of the dismissal of the NWFP government.

He said both the MMA and the National Security Council were working as usual despite the religious alliance’s decision not to participate in the NSC’s fourth meeting held on June 8.

He told a questioner that Chaudhry Shujaat Husain would stay on as president of the ruling party.

About the privatization of the PTCL, the minister said the government was going to privatize 26 per cent of its shares, a decision which had also been taken by the Nawaz Sharif and Benazir governments. He believed that after the sell-off, the PTCL’s annual profits would increase manifold.

Answering a question, he said the PTCL’s assets had not so far been evaluated but the exercise would be carried out before its privatization.

Responding to a question, the minister said the future of the PPP was linked with the decision on the money laundering case against Ms Bhutto and Asif Ali Zardari pending with a Swiss court. The government’s stand on the case remained unchanged, he said.

About the recent acts of terrorism, Sheikh Rashid claimed that they were sectarian in nature. He urged the ulema to play their role in preventing such tragic occurrences in future.

He said as a result of the efforts made by the government, terrorists’ network had been dented, although between 300 and 400 jawans had laid down their lives for the purpose.

He said there were a total of three “Al-Libbis” wanted by Pakistan, one of whom had recently been extradited to the United States.