Addressing a joint session of the AJK Legislative Assembly and the AJK Council held to mark the Kashmir Solidarity Day here on Monday, he asked India to show flexibility and respond to “positive proposals” of President Gen Pervez Musharraf on Kashmir to achieve a just and lasting settlement acceptable to all the Kashmiris.
“The Indian leadership should take steps which establish their sincerity towards peaceful solution of all outstanding issues, Kashmir being the core issue,” he said.
At the beginning of the session, some members of the assembly staged a walkout after Speaker Shah Ghulam Qadir asked the Leader of the Opposition, Sardar Qamaruz Zaman, to conclude his opening speech in view of time constraint. Mr Zaman continued his speech but was interrupted by the speaker again.
Jammu Kashmir People’s Party MLA Sardar Khalid Ibrahim said lawmakers should be allowed to express their views. However, his mike was switched off on the order of the speaker who gave the floor to AJK Prime Minister Sardar Attique Ahmad Khan.In protest, 10 members of the opposition parties, PPAJK, JKPP and the People’s Muslim League, walked out of the house chanting slogans of “Go Musharraf go, go Aziz go”.
The protest, however, did not go on the air as the speaker had by that time ordered the PTV authorities to suspend the live telecast. The transmission was resumed when Sardar Attique delivered his welcome speech.
Referring to opposition’s concerns over the Kashmir issue, Mr Aziz said: “I want to make it clear that the Kashmir cause is Pakistan’s vital national interest. We cannot even think of any sell-out.”
He said the people and the government of Pakistan were firm on their principled stand, adding that Pakistan would continue to provide political, diplomatic and moral support till a just and lasting solution to the Kashmir issue reflecting the aspirations of Kashmiris was found.
“We are with you. I assure you that Pakistan will never forget Kashmir. The support to the Kashmiris is not just based on principles of brotherhood but it is a part of Pakistan’s responsibility in accordance with international laws, United Nations Charter and Security Council’s resolutions on Kashmir.”
Pakistan was holding composite dialogue and engaged in confidence-building measures with India to resolve the contentious issues, Mr Aziz said. Pakistan, he added, had made it clear to India and the international community that the talks would not be successful if the Kashmir dispute was ignored.
“We have shown flexibility in talks … but without any progress on Kashmir, continuation of talks and CBMs are out of question,” he said. He, however, made it clear that Pakistan’s quest for settling disputes with India through peaceful means and its flexibility should not be seen as a sign of weakness.
“We want welfare of the people of the subcontinent and it can be possible when the two nuclear armed countries use their resources for improving the lot of their citizens.”
The prime minister said Islamabad had always taken the Kashmiri leadership into confidence on talks with India on the issue and this process of consultation would continue.
He stressed the need for unity among the Kashmiri leadership and common people on both sides of the divide.
Mr Aziz announced a special development grant of Rs5 million for each of the 41 constituencies of the AJK assembly.
Later, the prime minister went to the Thuri camp of earthquake survivors and visited a health facility, a school and some tents.
Talking to survivors, he said he felt satisfied that life was returning to normal and survivors were going back to their native areas.
“So far more than Rs90 billion has been distributed in the affected areas and we are establishing a disaster management authority to combat any such calamity in future,” he said.