Pakistan Opposition onboard for Kashmir resolution

The moderate faction of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC), which is currently on a visit to Pakistan, has asked the ruling clique to take the Opposition into confidence for resolving the Kashmir dispute that has dogged relations between the two countries for over five decades.

Talking to reporters after a meeting between the APHC delegation and leaders of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) at Parliament House, APHC Chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said, "We believe that it is responsibility of the government of Pakistan to take all opposition parties in confidence on the Kashmir issue. We want all political parties to unite on the issue."

The APHC delegation, according to the Daily Times, also held meetings with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and Maulana Fazlur Rehman, the Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly.

Opposition leaders say they are in favour of a peaceful settlement of Kashmir according to the aspirations of the Kashmiris. They, however, have refrained from commenting on President Pervez Musharraf's four-point proposals on Kashmir, as these have not been presented in parliament, nor has the government taken the opposition into confidence on the issue.

Mirwaiz praised the opposition parties for supporting the Kashmir cause. He said that the meetings between the APHC delegation and opposition parties had been "very helpful". He hoped that the Kashmir issue would not be politicised in Pakistan as it had been in India.

Mian Raza Rabbani, leader of the PPPP delegation, PML-N Chairman Raja Zafarul Haq and Maulana Fazlur Rehman said that they supported a peaceful solution to the Kashmir dispute, which should be acceptable to India and Pakistan.

On non-participation of Kashmiri leader Syed Ali Geelani in the peace talks, Rehman said that all leaders should support the APHC regardless of their internal politics. He warned that Musharraf's four-point proposals could lose sheen if made public prematurely.

Meanwhile, the acting President and Senate Chairman Muhammadmian Soomro has said that the government would take the opposition parties into confidence on the Kashmir dialogue process at an appropriate time.

National Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Amir Hussain said he was ready to allow a debate on Kashmir in the house if any member moved a motion.

Talking to reporters after their separate meetings with the Hurriyat leaders, Soomro and Hussain reiterated the government's stance to continue supporting the Kashmiris politically and morally.

"President Pervez Musharraf's four-point agenda will provide basis for the resolution of the Kashmir problem because it enjoys the support of the Kashmiri leadership and other circles," Soomro said in a reference to the Indian and Pakistani Governments and political parties.

He said that it was just the initial stage and opposition parties would be involved in the process at an appropriate time because the government wanted a peaceful solution of the issue in accordance with the wishes of the Kashmiris.

Hussain said that Kashmir should be discussed in the National Assembly, adding that the opposition had their own point of view, but they should not make it an issue of prestige and should support the government.

ANI