ISLAMABAD, Aug 26: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said on Friday that a durable peace in South Asia could not be achieved without a resolution of Kashmir dispute, the core issue between India and Pakistan.

Talking to Prime Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir Sardar Sikandar Hayat Khan at Prime Minister House, Mr Aziz said Pakistan would continue to urge India to accelerate dialogue process to ensure an early solution of Kashmir issue.

He said that the Kashmir issue needed to be resolved in a just and fair manner and in accordance with the wishes and aspirations of the Kashmiri people.

He reiterated the resolve that Pakistan would continue to extend political, moral and diplomatic support to the people of Kashmir for their just cause.

The prime minister said that the government would continue to take interest in improving the lot of Kashmiris by extending continued support and assistance to the development schemes launched in the AJK for improving health, education and infrastructure facilities.

The AJK prime minister thanked Mr Aziz for Pakistan’s consistent support to the AJK government for socio-economic development of the AJK and for the struggle of the Kashmiri people to achieve their right of self-determination.

Meanwhile, Mr Aziz assured a group of MNAs from Fata that the government was committed to the development of tribal areas to enable them to benefit from economic gains made by the country.

The MNAs who called the premier included Dr S. Javed Hussain, Dr Nasim Afridi and Noorul Haq Qadri.

The prime minister said that the government was allocating substantial funds under Khushhal Pakistan Programme.