ISLAMABAD – Minister for Foreign Affairs Shah Mahm-ood Qureshi has said that Kashmir is a cornerstone of Pakistan’s foreign policy and Islamabad wants a peaceful solution of the dispute according to the aspiration of Kashmiri people.
“We are firm to our stance and shall continue extending moral, diplomatic and political support to Kashmiri people. It is our principle stand on Kashmir and we shall continue efforts for a durable and peaceful resolution of this issue,” the Foreign Minister said while briefing the National Assembly about the Government’s policy on Kashmir.
He said that Pakistan had always desired purposeful dialogue with India to resolve outstanding issue including the core issue of Kashmir. He added that it was also agreed in Sharm el-Sheikh between the Prime Ministers of Pakistan and India that dialogue was the only way forward.
Pakistan wants a peaceful resolution of Kashmir issue in the light of the United Nations resolutions and according to aspirations of Kashmiri people. No solution to Kashmir issue will be durable until the Kashmiri leadership is not made part of it, Qureshi added.
Shah Mahmood Qureshi said after Mumbai carnage on 26/11, the process of composite dialogue was suspended but prior to that in June, same year, he took up Kashmir issue with India in New Delhi. He added that he himself gave a roadmap to the Indian Foreign Minister for engagements during the time when the dialogue was suspended. Qureshi told that his Indian counterpart at that time agreed that the dialogue should be resumed but he pledged to be back after consultation with his leadership, but he didnÂ’t.
He told that after 26/11, Indian side viewed that they did not oppose dialogue process but prior to that Pakistan should bring to task the people involved in Mumbai tragedy.
“We told them that process has been initiated. We have shared dossiers. Seven people have been arrested and their trial has also been initiated. The executive has done what the executive is supposed to do,” said Shah Mehmood Qureshi.
However, Prior to Mumbai tragedy, fifth round of composite dialogue was initiated in which the focus was on Kashmir. Later President Asif Ali Zardari and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh met in New York and exchanged views on Kashmir and water issues and agreed for continuation and deepening of peaceful dialogue for resolution of Kashmir, Foreign Minister briefed the House.
Later the Prime Minster Yousuf Raza Gilani met with Indian Premium Manmohan Singh in July 2008 and a joint declaration came forward which proved that Pakistan had presented Kashmir case successfully and Indian Premier had to face severe criticism in his country over agreeing to discuss all issues including meeting of foreign secretaries.
However, he said both India and Pakistan acted maturely and did not stop confidence building measures (CBMs) including the ceasefire on LoC, uninterrupted bus service and cross LoC trade, and sent a delegation of AJK Chamber of Commerce and Industry to Occupied Kashmir and both sides agreed to form a federation.
The Foreign Minister stated that the Government was in constant touch with the Kashmiri leadership, as it believed that the durable solution to the issue was not possible without involving the real Kashmiri leadership. “Mirwaiz visited Pakistan from 21 to 25 June, 2008, and I have recently written letters to the Kashmiri leadership in Occupied Kashmir inviting them to visit Pakistan and hold consultations,” he said and added that “we must admit the ground realities in Kashmir have changed.”
Qureshi maintained that some situations had started emerging in Occupied Kashmir, mentioning to Amarnath Land issue, economic blockade in Jammu and the Shopian incident, which were all indigenous. Quoting the reports by the US State Department and a latter of Immensity International to US President Barack Hussain Obama, he said that both of these document had criticised India on the gross human rights violation in Occupied Kashmir.
Qureshi said both the Prime Ministers of Pakistan and India, in their recent meeting in Bhutan, deliberated on all circumstances and suspended dialogue process, adding that the whole world was urging for restoration of dialogue to resolve the sensitive issues. He further told that the term ‘Composite Dialogue’ was of the Indain Government while Pakistan was trying to term these dialogues as ‘Comprehensive Dialogue’. He was of the view that Musharraf’s policies had damaged the Kashmir cause and the incumbent Government was trying to come back on the track.
He said fighting on two fronts was not in favour of Pakistan as “we were already fighting terrorism in the country. Now the world salutes our army and people and admits the sacrifices of Pakistan in war on terror.” The world was saying that Pakistan’s nuclear assets were in danger but now the US President Obama has expressed confidence about Pakistan’s nuclear system.
Talking about the water issue, the Foreign Minister said, “We will have to examine the bilateral Indus Water Treaty to help resolve all water-related issues.” He said when India started work on Wuller Barrage, Pakistan took it up and made it part of composite dialogue and four meetings had already been held to discuss the very issue under composite dialogue, forcing India to suspend work.
He said the a neutral expert was engaged on Baglihar Dam issue who recommended Indian government to reduce dams height by 1.5 meter and poundage by five million acre feet, adding that he retained the number of gates for spillways, contrary to Pakistan’s wishes. “I will raise water issue whenever I meet Indian Foreign Minister, but within the parameters of the law and Indus Water Treaty. We will make no compromise over it,” the Foreign Minister stated.
Qureshi said Pakistan was also pursuing the same stance about Kishan Ganga project and the Foreign Ministry had already moved a summary to the Prime Minister, stressing Indian government to stop all construction activity until the issue was resolved.
Earlier MNA Surriya Asghar moved the motion that this House may discuss the Kashmir policy of the Government.
Meanwhile, MQM after a calling attention notice regarding increase in the prices of petroleum products staged a walkout from the National Assembly against the recent hike. However the Advisor to Prime Minister Ghazanfar Gull while responding said that the prices were fixed according to international market.
Later the House also discussed the alarming increase in the child labour in the country. Responding to the legislators, Minister for Labour and Manpower Khursheed Shah told that 3.3 million child labour was working in the country. He stressed for the need of joint efforts from the Government, Opposition and general public to work against the child labour. The Minister added that the legislation was also under process to declare it illegal.
“I have proposed to allocate Rs 10 million from the budget of the Ministry to educate and facilitate such children with health facilities. A summery in this regard is being sent to the Prime Minister today (Tuesday),” Khursheed Shah said.
He said that the root cause of the child labour in the country was poverty for which the Government initiated BISP which allocated Rs 1,000 to reduce this root cause, however, the amount was not enough to meet the necessaries of the poor. “We will have to improve our tax collection,” the Minister said.
On the Private Member Day, Justice (Retd) Fakhar-UN-Nisa Khokhar introduced a bill to further amend the Muslim Family Law Ordinance, 1961 (The Muslim Family Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2010).