QUETTA, Aug 1: Azad Jammu and Kashmir Rehabilitation and Relief Minister Aamir Ghaffar Lone has rejected the ‘third option’ for resolving the Kashmir issue and demanded that it should be settled in accordance with the United Nations resolutions. Talking to journalists during his visit to the provincial capital, Mr Lone said he did not believe in a ‘third option’ for resolving the Kashmir Issue because it was not part of the relevant UN resolutions.

“Even thinking of a third option is wastage of time,” he remarked. He said that in his personal opinion Kashmir should be part of Pakistan. He said Pakistan had rendered great sacrifices for the Kashmir cause.

He said the Kashmir issue was the main cause of three wars between Pakistan and India in which the country suffered big losses. He said the Kashmiris were morally obliged to give their decision in favour of Pakistan. He said the international community had played an important role in the start of negotiations between Pakistan and India on the Kashmir issue. Pakistan had always sought dialogue for the resolution of all the issues between the two countries, including the vital issue of Kashmir, he said.

He said the Kashmiri leadership from both parts of Kashmir should be included in the negotiations. He said negotiations on the Kashmir issue must continue because it was the only way that could pave the way for a solution to the problem.

“Discontinuation of the process will delay the resolution of the issue,” Mr Lone said. He said the negotiation process would bring both the governments and people of the two countries closer together and help in confidence building.

The AJK minister said India was ignoring the Kashmiri leadership and not giving it representation in the negotiation process. However, he expressed the hope that soon India would realize the need for include the Kashmiri leadership as the third party in the talks. “Without involving the third party, the Kashmir issue can not be resolved,” he said.