Peace not war: “We are in favour of Kashmir’s freedom”

‘Confidence building measures necessary to resolve issues’.

LAHORE: “I appeal to Pakistanis and Indians to take practical measures by withdrawing troops from Kashmir as a first step to initiate peaceful dialogue,” said Council for Indian Foreign Policy Chairman Dr VP Vaidik.

He was addressing the Pakistan Visionary Forum members on the Future of Indo-Pak relations here at the TECH Society Club on Sunday.

Vaidik said the Kashmir dispute could be resolved through dialogue between Pakistanis, Indians, and the people of Kashmir.  “We are in favour of the freedom of Kashmiris but not secession from India,” he said. He said terrorism could also be stopped through negotiations but it was not possible until the US stopped drone attacks on Pakistani soil.

He said independence from India and Pakistan was not a solution because Kashmir was landlocked. Vaidik said some Indians had not liked the partition but that “did not mean they wanted to cause Pakistan harm.”

Also speaking on the occasion, Zubair Sheikh said confidence building measures were necessary to resolve issues between India and Pakistan.

Justice(r) Sharif Hussain Bokhari said Dr Vaidik was one of the few Indians he had met who favoured resolution of the Kashmir dipute.

Jameel Gishkori read his kalam, Aman Ki Aasha. Prof Mugheesud Din said no resolution was possible until India stopped claiming that Kashmir was an integral part of their country.

Qayyum Nizami said when Indian prisoners were released from Pakistani jails they left in better health than their counterparts.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 3^rd, 2013.