Pakistan

‘Talks hinge on overhaul of India’s Kashmir policy’

FO says no result-oriented discussions with India unless New Delhi revisits Kashmir policy.

Kamran Yousaf September 24, 2010

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday said that there can be no result-oriented discussions with India unless New Delhi revisits its Kashmir policy.

Speaking at a weekly news briefing, Foreign Office spokesperson Abdul Basit said that India needed to take a fresh look at its Kashmir policy and do some introspection. “Unless India stops treating Jammu and Kashmir as its integral part and stops harping on seeking a solution within the Indian Constitution, we do not believe that we can have any meaningful or result-oriented discussions with India.”

His remarks come ahead of a likely meeting between Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and his Indian counterpart SM Krishna in New York at the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session. Islamabad, according to the spokesperson, has yet to take a final decision on the meeting though.

“The possibilities of such a meeting are still being explored through diplomatic channels and there is no decision as yet,” he said.

Speaking about Qureshi visiting India later this year, he said that it would depend on whether India took a fresh look at its Kashmir policy. “The visit would obviously predicate on whether India agrees to a comprehensive and sustained dialogue with Pakistan. As our foreign minister has said on many occasions, it is important that rather than meeting for photo-op sessions, we get down to business and try to normalise our relations,” he said.

Replying to a question, the spokesperson dismissed the concerns expressed by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on civilian nuclear cooperation between Pakistan and China. “Our civil nuclear cooperation with China is in accordance with our respective international obligations under relevant International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards. Objections, if any, are therefore incongruent,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 24^th, 2010.

COMMENTS (5)

Ahmer Ali | 13 years ago | Reply Assalam-o-Allaikum Warahmatullah.Since 1947 Kashmir issue is hanged in balance and negotiations have been the photo session of both leaderships but in vein and after every peace talks' session only one combined statement is given,id est,both leaders agreed to continue talks.Nothing is going to change in these table talks in other words photo sessions and a lot of money and time have been wasted.Now it is time to show practicability to resolve Kashmir issue because both countries' economy is being effected badly in this war of freedom especially Indian economy and the most importantly the most considerable thing is innocent killings of women and children by Indian brutal and cruel forces and world leaders are only silent spectators because in their eyes only muslims are terrorists.India is insincere and dishonest to resolve Kashmir issue because India considered Kashmir her integral part and want only conversion of LoC into border and in India's standpoint this is the only way to resolve Kashmir issue.If our leaders want to waste their time and more and more money and to implement more heavy taxes on poor and debited nation then continue peace table talks or photo sessions with India.India is not ready to leave Jammu Kashmir at any cost whatever results India faces.

Anoop | 13 years ago | Reply "Pakistan on Thursday said that there can be no result-oriented discussions with India unless New Delhi revisits its Kashmir policy." Dream on.. Pakistan establishment has learned NOTHING in the past 63 years. No power in this world will voluntarily, under any cost, give up a piece of land. Add this the issue of Partition, Communalism, Rivers flowing through the said territory, strategic advantage, Constitutional difficulties, etc and most important of all public outrage in a democracy, you can completely rule out that option. The only way out is full implementation of Article 370 as mentioned in the Indian Constitution which gives full autonomy to J&K. Musharaff-Singh formula of demilitarization from Urban areas and increase in trade between the 2 Kashmirs, hence making boundaries inconsequential is an excellent idea. Another important issue is who is paying more for its Kashmir Policy? Pakistani economy is in ruins, negligible forex reserves, increasing debt, increasing poverty, massive population explosion. On the other hand, India is perceived to be the next superpower, its economy is growing at a fast pace, in fact only behind China. Millions have escaped poverty in the last ten years due to massive growth, stable democracy. It is safe to say India's Kashmir Policy is less harmful to it than is Pakistan's Kashmir policy to Pakistan.

VIEW MORE COMMENTS

Sultan Ahmed. | 13 years ago | Reply The issue,relating to Kashmir has been disputed since long. There was no sincere effort to resolve the matter. the parties concerned,India and Pakistan with different background has different standpoints. on the issue and want to solve the issue according to their own purposes. which made this matter to move to right direction impossible. India want to solve this issue according its constitution and saying Kashmir is its integral part and not ready to have dialogue on it. India also set a side all the resolutions passed by United Nations general assembly . Indian leadership has always disregarded international form that is right place to resolve this longstanding issue and never tried to revisit its foreign policy on Kashmir. The said policy created many other problems for both countries,such as three time war on Kashmir between India and Pakistan,it has also born a movement for independence and Pakistan support Kashmir's right self determination,in this way the issue has become a flesh point between the two countries. Three wars has been fought but India is not ready to revisit its policy about Kashmir. More than 80,000 Kashmires killed by Indian armed forces . Over one hundred has also been killed now a days. the outrage is continued. on the world 's objection India begin to sing a same song has been singing for 55 years. Pakistan's stance on this issue is hundred percent right which has been recognized by all the countries of the world including United Nations. Pakistan has moral support for Kashmir and support the right of determination which has already been okayed by the United nation. Kashmires are being killed by the Indian police and army now a days. In such circumstances all democratic countries of the world should move forward and hold the hand of Indian outrage. On the other hand it is united nations obligation to stop such criminal activities being committed by India in Kashmir.

Sengathir | 13 years ago | Reply This is like " back to square one "... So, what does your FO want us to do... declare kashmir is part of Pakistan and then come to talk... then why talk?

ADE | 13 years ago | Reply Pakistan should take this oppurtunity and do as much India-bashing as possible. We must remind the self-righteous Indian administration of its own international hypocrisies

Replying to X