Resolution of Kashmir issue imperative for regional peace: FO

Pakistan wants to resolve all outstanding issues with India through dialogue, Foreign Office Spokesperson Nafees Zakaria has said in an interview.

Talking to Radio Pakistan, the FO spokesman said that Pakistan has also offered India to hold dialogue exclusively on Kashmir.

Pakistan is a peace-loving country and wants to have friendly relations with all its neighbours, he said.

He termed the resolution of Kashmir issue imperative for durable peace in the region.

All regional countries should focus on the prosperity of their people, who are suffering from the ills of poverty, Nafees Zakaria said.

The spokesperson called upon the international community to play its role for the early resolution of Kashmir dispute.

He said that Pakistan wanted a resolution of the Kashmir dispute in accordance with the aspirations of Kashmiris and also in line with the United Nations Security Council’s resolutions.

He said that Pakistan had highlighted the Kashmir issue at all the international forum and would continue to do this till its resolution.

About the ongoing brutalities of Indian forces in the held-Kashmir, the Foreign Office Spokesperson said since the start of indigenous movement of independence, over 100,000 Kashmiris had lost their lives, while 20,000 suffered physical disabilities.

The spokesperson said the liberation struggle had gained momentum in the wake of the martyrdom of a Kashmiri youth on July 8.

He mentioned that during last five weeks, 70 Kashmiris had been martyred and 6,000 were injured including 500 receiving critical wounds.  He said the Indian forces used pellet guns to torture the innocent Kashmiri youth and children.

Nafees Zakaria said that Pakistan would continue to extend its moral, political and diplomatic support to the Kashmiris in their just struggle for the right to self-determination.

On Pakistan’s role in the elimination of terrorism, he said that Pakistan was the biggest victim of terrorism and had sacrificed 60,000 lives in this war. The country suffered a 150 billion dollars financial setback in its economy due to this war, he added.

The spokesman said the world had acknowledged Pakistan’s sacrifices in the war against terrorism.

He said terrorism had become an international issue and Pakistan was ready to share its expertise with countries on counter-terrorism.

Nafees Zakaria said there was a need to apprise the new generation about the Pakistan movement, which was a chapter of history with immense sacrifices.

He said out of eight proposed segments of dialogue with India, Pakistan would always give priority to Kashmir issue.

On recent Quetta blast, he said though Indian spy was arrested on Pakistani soil, however, Pakistan being a responsible country, would not blame any country before completion of an investigation into the matter.