News
Saturday, September 15, 2012
Pakistan’s position on Kashmir remains unchanged: FO* Issue has been duly emphasised in all bilateral talks with India
Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Friday clarified that Islamabad’s principled position on Kashmir remained unchanged and it still wanted a just solution of the issue in accordance with the United Nations resolutions.
Responding to media reports quoting Hurriyet Conference Chairman Syed Ali Geelani regarding Pakistan stance on Kashmir, Foreign Office spokesman Moazzam Khan said there was no change in Pakistan’s position on Kashmir.
He said, “Pakistan seeks a just solution to this issue in accordance with the UN resolutions and aspirations of the people of Kashmir. This issue cannot be sidestepped and has been duly emphasised in all bilateral talks with India, including the recent foreign ministers-level talks in Islamabad.”
He also said that Pakistan held Geelani in high esteem and greatly valued his contributions to the Kashmir cause. The Times of India on Tuesday quoted Syed Geelani as saying that “forgetting of past” on Kashmir issue in the joint statement issued by foreign ministers of India and Pakistan in their recent meeting was “beyond logic”.
The “advice of forgetting the past” in the joint statement issued after the meeting between Indian External Affairs Minister SM Krishna and his Pakistani counterpart Hina Rabbani Khar was “beyond logic”, the Hurriyat leader had said.
“The division of the subcontinent, which led to creation of India and Pakistan cannot be forgotten. How can the historic background of Kashmir issue and the sacrifices of the people for right to self determination be forgotten,” he said. Instead of focusing on the Kashmir issue they gave importance to visa policy and improving trade ties, Geelani had also said.
Krishna visited Pakistan last week and held discussions with Pakistani officials, including Khar, besides signing Pakistan-India liberalised regime. During his visit, both countries agreed to build ties based on convergence and then move to complex issues such as Kashmir and Siachen.Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk