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Nawaz invites India for dialogue on Kashmir* PM says his government ready to consider any proposal for establishment of peace * Hopes India will realise sensitivity of matter and respond positively
APP
MUZAFFARABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif Wednesday invited the Indian government for a peaceful dialogue to resolve the Kashmir dispute as per aspirations of the Kashmiri people.
He said his government was ready to consider any proposal for establishment of peace. “We are ready to discuss and resolve all outstanding issues with India, including the Kashmir dispute,” Nawaz said while addressing a joint session of Azad Kashmir Legislative Assembly and Kashmir Council in connection with the Kashmir Solidarity Day. “The future of Pakistan and Kashmir is linked with each other. Uncertainty and confrontation will continue in the region till peaceful resolution of the Kashmir issue casting negative impacts on regional development and stability,” the prime minister added.
He hoped that India would realise the sensitivity of the matter, respond positively to Pakistan’s invitation for a peaceful dialogue and let the people of Kashmir decide their own fate. Held with AJK Speaker Sardar Ghulam Sadiq Khan in the chair, the session was also attended by Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs Chaudhry Brjees Tahir, AJK President Sardar Muhammad Yaqoob Khan, Prime Minister Chaudhry Abdul Majeed and members of the Legislative Assembly and AJK Council. Among the guests present at the gallery were Parliamentary Committee on Kashmir Affairs Chairman Fazlur Rehman and Minister for Information and Broadcasting Pervaiz Rashid.
On his arrival, the prime minister was received by the AJK president, prime minister and parliamentarians that followed a guard of honour by a smartly-turned-out contingent of the AJK police. In his address to the joint session, Prime Minister Nawaz said the people of Kashmir and Pakistan were tied in integral bond of brotherhood that was getting strengthened with each passing day. “This day brings pride to thousands of Kashmiris, who have rendered sacrifices for the independence of Kashmir. Today, we also pledge not to squander the sacrifices of those freedom fighters,” he resolved.
He said the Kashmir issue demanded enforcement of the fundamental human rights and high values of self-determination. “We cannot evade our responsibility of consoling the innocent Kashmiris. Pakistan has been sticking to its stance of Kashmir resolution according to the wishes of Kashmiri people,” he remarked. He said the struggle of the Kashmiris was the natural reaction to the atrocities perpetrated by the Indian security agencies that also substantiated the fact that the Kashmir issue could never be ignored. He said the whole world was aware of the miseries of Kashmiri people.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said the international community could neither overlook nor keep mum over the usurpation of Kahsmiris’ rights and oppression faced by them. He said Pakistan would also keep up its struggle for the restoration of Kashmiris’ rights at all national and international foras until bloodshed came to end in Kashmir and the people got their due rights. He said the Jammu and Kashmir dispute was the incomplete agenda of the United Nations that was of key importance for South Asia. Pakistan has repeatedly expressed its desire of resolving all disputes, including that of Kashmir, through a meaningful dialogue, he added.
The prime minister said with a view to redress the difficulties faced by Kashmiris, Pakistan took several confidence building measures, including the opening of Line of Control (LoC) to ease reunion of families from both the sides. He said the continuation of trade across LoC, despite all odds, manifested Pakistan’s resolve to facilitate the Kashmiri people.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk