NEWS

NEW DELHI: Condemning suicide attacks across the Line of Control (LoC) in Rawlakot and Srinagar, Pakistan on Wednesday called for an early resolution of the Kashmir dispute to end the bloodshed and instability in the region.

Talking to reporters after her interactions with Kashmiri pro-freedom leaders, National Assembly Speaker Dr Fehmida Mirza said the issue could not be put on the “backburner” and the government as well as the country’s parliament was committed to resolving the issue peacefully.

Departing from demands of seeking an alternative resolution of the issue, as envisaged by the moderate faction of the All-Parties Hurriyat Conference and former president Pervez Musharraf, Fehmida reiterated that Pakistan “wants a resolution of the issue by granting the right of self-determination to the people of Kashmir under UN resolutions. We cannot put the Kashmir issue to the backburner,” she said.

Jugular: Supporting President Asif Ali Zardari’s tough stance on Kashmir, she called Kashmir the “jugular vein” of Pakistan, saying there was no question of leaving the issue and the Kashmiri people in a lurch.

On her meetings with Kashmiri leaders, Fehmida said she listened to all of them and conveyed the stance of Pakistan’s parliament to the leaders.

Earlier, a four member delegation of the APHC, led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, and consisting of Syed Ali Geelani and JKLF chief Mohammad Yasin Malik called on Fehmida at the Pakistan High Commission.

Later, Mirwaiz said he had urged an early resumption of the composite dialogue process, adding that regional peace was imperative to the resolution of the Kashmir dispute, which is part of the composite dialogue process.

Sources said he also sought support of Pakistan for his “quite talks” with the Indian government.

Resolution: Without mentioning the recent attack on his colleague Fazl Haq Qureshi, Mirwaiz told Fehmida that APHC’s interactions with the Indian government were part of their agenda for a resolution of the Kashmir issue and improving the climate for the larger India-Pakistan relations.

Addressing a ceremony in honour of the visiting speaker, Pakistani High Commissioner Shahid Malik said normalisation was critical for a peaceful and prosperous neighbourhood.

“We want close and friendly relations with India and a sustained engagement will bring fruits of peace and prosperity,” he said.

Malik said peace did not accrue from treaties and joint statements but from hearts and minds.

Fehmida said it was necessary to keep channels of communication as well as bilateral dialogue open.

She recalled the statement issued by the Indian and Pakistani prime ministers at of Sharm El Sheikh in July last year, where they agreed that dialogue was the only way forward to resolve all outstanding issues between the two countries.

The speaker also reiterated the commitment of her parliament, government and the people of Pakistan to fight and defeat terrorism as well as help in building an environment of peace and stability for the prosperity of people in the region.