Principled stance: Pakistan refuses to invite Indian Kashmir assembly speaker for CW moot

Sartaj Aziz says Kashmir remains a disputed issue which needed to be resolved according to UN resolutions

ISLAMABAD: Following an uproar on the exclusion of Indian Kashmir assembly speaker from the Commonwealth Conference, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs and National Security Sartaj Aziz on Saturday said that Kashmir remained a disputed matter, even as the National Assembly secretariat issued a statement categorically refusing to extend and invite.

“We will talk about matters with India in National Security Council,” he said.

Aziz, elaborating on the government's official stance, said that Pakistan has always maintained that Kashmir's case needed to be resolved in accordance with UN resolutions.

Earlier on Saturday, the parliament of Pakistan issued a statement categorically stating that it will not invite the Indian Jammu and Kashmir Assembly to attend 61st Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference, being held in Islamabad from September 30 to October 8, 2015, Radio Pakistan reported.

The National Assembly Secretariat explained that Pakistan's position on the issue is rooted in international law and Security Council resolutions.

It pointed out that there are outstanding UN Security Council’s Resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir, which call for the Kashmiris’ right to self-determination through a free and impartial plebiscite under the UN auspices.

He revealed that 70 per cent of the people invited have already confirmed their participation in the conference, adding that the process of reconciliation needs to be restarted.

No good or bad Taliban

Aziz reiterated that the Pakistan government was making no distinction between good or bad Taliban in dealing with extremism.

Firstly we make no distinction between the good and the bad Taliban and secondly, we condemn terrorist attacks, he said while talking to journalists after a book launch in Islamabad on Saturday evening.

Firstly we make no distinction between the good and the bad Taliban and secondly, we condemn terrorist attacks, he said while talking to journalists after a book launch in Islamabad on Saturday evening.

He said that while working with the Afghan government, Pakistan had tried to restrict the cross border movement of militants.

“Now who is responsible for attacks in Kabul is a very hypothetical guess, let’s hope that the peace talks will resume leading to end of some hostilities and violence in Afghanistan.”

Aziz commented that the first round of talks with Taliban was “productive” and expressed the hope that the second round would be held as soon as the situation on Taliban leadership becomes clear.

“We have always believed to talk with those Taliban who are willing to talk rather than fight,” he said.

Referring to recent terror attacks in India, Aziz said that it was unfair to point fingers at Pakistan and that too at public forums. Hinting at sensational reporting of Indian media, he reiterated that like India, Pakistan too was affected by terrorism.