Pakistan incomplete without Kashmir: political leaders

Rashid says some powers sabotage peace initiatives

ISLAMABAD: The political leaders of Pakistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) on Wednesday called for finding a solution to the longstanding Kashmir dispute in light of the UN resolutions as they said Pakistan is incomplete without Kashmir.

They also reiterated their resolve to raise voice at international forums to ensure the Kashmiris get their right to self-determination. This resolve was made during ‘Kashmir Solidarity Seminar’ held under the auspices of Express Media Group.



The seminar was attended by Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid, JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Jamaat-e-Islami chief Sirajul Haq, AJK’s former prime minister Sardar Attique Ahmed, Senator Lt Gen (retd) Abdul Qayum Khan, PTI MNA Ali Muhammad Khan and AJK minister Abdul Majid Khan.Addressing the seminar, Pervaiz Rashid said all the nations of the world and the UN accept that the Kashmir issue should be resolved according to the aspirations of the people of the disputed state.

“This reality has also been accepted by India’s political leadership which was compelled to visit Lahore. They [the Indian leadership] have expressed their willingness to find a logical solution of the problem,” he said.

Rashid said that in the past the two neighbouring countries came very close to the resolution of the lingering dispute multiple times but always some unseen powers struck at the last moment and succeeded in sabotaging the whole initiative.



“This time the same history was repeated as Pakistan and India were ready to resume their comprehensive dialogue when the Pathankot incident occurred and resultantly the whole process was affected,” said the minister. Rashid said Pakistan’s government, political parties and the whole nation stood by the people of Kashmir and have highlighted the issue at all the international forums.

JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, who also heads the National Assembly Kashmir Committee, said the only way to the resolution of the Kashmir problem was implementation on the UN resolutions. He said Kashmir should be the focal point of Pakistan’s foreign policy.

The JI chief Sirajul Haq said Kashmir is not just a problem of the people of the valley but an issue related to the whole Pakistani nation and the Muslim world.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 4^th, 2016.