Lauding the Indian prime minister’s peace efforts, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani expressed hope that the ongoing peace process between Pakistan and India would lead to a resolution of issues that have bedevilled the relationship between the two neighbours.
Speaking at a reception hosted in honour of an Indian parliamentary delegation headed by Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar here at the Prime Minister House, Gilani added that Pakistan is committed to “result-oriented, constructive and productive engagement with India.”
The Indian speaker, along with members of Indian parliament, is currently on a five-day visit to Pakistan on the invitation of her Pakistani counterpart Dr Fehmida Mirza.
A statement issued by the PM House said that the Indian Lok Sabha speaker endorsed the view that all contentious issues between the two countries must be settled through dialogue. Separately, in an interview with a private television channel, Lok Sabha Speaker Kumar pointed out that “war is no solution to any problem and the two countries must shun the path of violence”.
In his remarks, Gilani lauded Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for his efforts to seek peace between the two countries.
“I respect Dr Manmohan Singh from the bottom of my heart and I share his desire for peace,” said Gilani.
He emphasised the need for India and Pakistan to work together to eliminate hunger, disease and poverty in the two countries.
“We should think about the future of the people so they can have drinking water, health and education,” he said, adding that strong relations between parliaments of the two countries can prove to be vital.
“Governments come and go but love of people remains and your visit will pave the way for strengthening relations between the people,” he told Kumar.
In her other engagements of the day, the Indian speaker along with her delegation met the Pakistan-Indian Parliamentary Friendship Group (PFG).
The maiden meeting of the Pakistan-India PFG with Indian parliamentarians was jointly chaired by Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Qamar Zaman Kaira and Indian Speaker Kumar herself.
It was agreed that dialogue was the only way forward in addressing the contentious issues between the archrivals and peace was the only way to regional prosperity and harmony.
In a gesture of goodwill, Kumar also planted a sapling of Mangolia Grandiflora in the lawn of the Parliament House along with National Assembly Speaker Dr Fehmida.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 23rd, 2012.
COMMENTS (21)
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Meera Kumar is a very polite person and sound minded person. If the subcontinent has more leaders like her on both sides, maybe just maybe, we can concentrate on the poor and the hungry. As for Kashmir, I talked to two Kashmiri families from India asking them what they wanted. All of them said PEACE! There is an Indian Kashmir and there is a Pakistani Kashmir just like an Indian Punjab and a Pakistani Punjab and an Indian Bengal and a Bangladesh. So, it is about time we move on. If the Kashmiri Muslims (and Hindus) are given their due rights in India and are happy, end of story.
@safeena: whats different ?i am a normal person ,i think so are you i might be fair you might be dark or i might be dark and you might be fair or i am a hindu and you are a muslim but is that difference you are taking abt difference is tht we are a functional democracy and you are a laggard democracy and ignorance and prejudice of sm ppl 4 indians or pakis will serve no purpose and i think all ppl should welcome this and should abhor such statements(no offence)
i think peace should prevail between India and Pakistan and not only between political clout of islamabad and new delhi...politicians can never be relied upon be it new delhi, islamabad, kabul or washington...but people can
@safeena: The only difference between Indians and Pakis is that Pakis are not Indian. Nothing else. Of course Pakis are happy to call themselves as Indians when they are out of Pakistan. Witness how vast majority of restaurants run by Pakis in UK and US promote themselves as Indian restaurants. So when Pakis can make money by misrepresenting themselves as Indians, that is fine with them!
Very charming lady. Her intentions are good . . .but she cannot stop the sabotage and damage being done by RAW in Pakistan especially in Balochistan through feeding terrorism and insurgency. Nevertheless, Best of Luck!
As a Pakistani can i ask all (mainly my country people) that we leave Kashmir out of the equation just for once. Why should that small region dominate our relationship. Its somethng that has to be worked out and in its own good time. Please leave it out for now. We need to become friends and understand each other things like Kashmir will sort themselves out.
We have allowed this problem to bring such huge distances between us. Time to take control, not see it as a problem but an opportunity in the future to further strengthen ties. But for now Pakistan and India proper need to get on and be friends. So please just leave Kashmir out of it.
@Truth Teller: What do u mean by No option r u mad, we need to depend on our enemy for survival ? seriously u r a lie Teller, we should be working and strengthening our relations more with Iran, China, Arabs and Russia,
No option but to have friendly & brotherly relations with India if we have to survive!
We can forget Kashmir if RAW stops feeding TTP and insurgents in Balochistan
There is no point in fighting over Kashmir bcoz it has been occupied by both the country..Now who is wrong and who is right has become irrelevant. Both PoK and IoK will be there. No one is going to leave anything.
Therefore let us be realistic and create a peaceful atmosphere so that everyone get a chance to progress. 1.5 billion population should not suffer bcoz of Kashmir.
Convert LOC into international border and forget about part of Kashmir which Pakistan gifted to China for no reason.
@Ahmer Ali
India wont be giving up Kashmir (or whatever area of it under its control). Just learn to live with that fact. Better learn to digest this reality and live with it. That is the only way to move forward. Whether it is morally right of India to do so, I have no clue, but it aint gonna happen.
The only plausible permanent solution I see is LoC being declared as the international border.
@Ahmer Ali: Pls don not bring kashmir into every discussion bcoz that would only create problems. Let us not be emotional about old issues and we should move forward.
There are millions of poor in this subcontinent and they want food, health and education. And this should be the top priority and not geopolitics. We must ask these millions about their view on society. And their view should be the agenda setter for the peace. Fringe elements on both the side should be ignored bcoz they themselves have plenty to play politics. But what about poor people who are suffering due to unnatural barriers that exist between the two countries ??
Efforts by both country is unprecedented and should be supported by intellectuals and liberals.
@ahmer, Thanks but no thanks..You can be where you are and we indians will be where we are with what we have now..Good luck.
Its hard to be friends with them...we are just different no matter what anyone says.
@Ahmed Ali Times have changed brother. Its no more relevant. No one will hear you. Go to Kashmir and see the change yourself. A section of Kashmir has separatist ideology and thats it. Even they know its never going to happen. So rather than becoming a reason of failure of kashmiri society when the rest of the country is progressing, its time for everyone in kashmir to see the writing on the wall and accept the reality. Trust me, those like me who come from that region and who have moved on in their life, are reaping the fruits of the progress and development.
@Ahmer Ali:
Thank you, let us remain us neighbours not friends !
The most effective,strongest,stable and permanent friendship base between India-Pakistan is the only "Kashmir" because Kashmir is neither the integral part of India nor the part of Pakistan. Allow Kashmiri people thru their basic right plebiscite announced by Pandit Jawahar La'al Nehru in UNO in 1945 without any hidden or open interference by Pakistani and Indian governments thru any means and manifestations that either Kashmiri people want to live with India or with Pakistan or want their own separate/independent state like the other independent states of the world and their independence,sovereignty and territory must be recognized,respected and honored by Pakistani and Indian governments without any hesitation.
I firmly believe, a democratic Pakistan Government which has the guts to place the military where it belongs, can really take forward the relations with India.
The hope of a secure and livable world lies with disciplined nonconformists who are dedicated to justice, peace and brotherhood. -Martin Luther King, Jr. strong text