Initiate dialogue for resolution of Kashmir issue, PM asks India

• Abbasi says meeting to be held on Feb 20 to discuss US move of placing Pakistan on global terrorist-financing watch-list
• Says Kabul govt can’t hold Islamabad responsible for its failure in ensuring security 

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi Thursday asked India to initiate a dialogue for the resolution of Kashmir issue in line with the UN resolutions.

The prime minister also criticised India for violating the ceasefire agreement, saying that “people of Pakistan and armed forces are fully capable of defending the country”.

“India is continuously violating the ceasefire at Line of Control (LoC) and targeting the innocent civilians to which the army is giving an effective response,” he said in an interview.

Regarding Afghanistan, he said Pakistan’s position is very clear that the issue can be resolved through dialogue and not war. He reiterated that Pakistan would continue to play its role for peaceful settlement of the Afghan issue and said that Kabul government cannot hold Pakistan responsible for its own failure.

The prime minister categorically stated that there is no confrontation between institutions as the constitution has clearly provided power to every institution.

He said the Election Commission of Pakistan should look into the horse trading attempts in the Senate elections and said they would boycott the Senators elected by purchasing votes. He said the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) is neither involved in any such act nor it supports the horse trading. Without naming PPP, the prime minister asked how a party with not a single MPA in the province was talking of getting its nominated people elected as Senator. He said those elected by horse-trading can’t represent people.

Answering a question, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said the new chairman for the Senate would be nominated after consultation.

He said Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Syed Khursheed Shah would be consulted about caretaker prime minister at an appropriate time. He, however, welcomed the statement by Syed Khursheed Shah that the caretaker prime minister should be a spotless person having the ability to organise transparent elections.

Regarding placing Pakistan on terror financing watch list, he said a meeting to discuss the matter will be held on February 20 and all aspects would be considered.

He said LNG is a mega project which helped in ending energy crisis in Pakistan but certain political opponents were levelling baseless allegations to keep them alive in the media.

The PM said surplus electricity is available in the country and the promise of Nawaz Sharif to end the power crisis is being fulfilled. He said there is also no major issue about transmission lines but the real problem is electricity theft which has doubled in areas where there were complaints of theft. He said federation and provinces must cooperate to bring an end to load shedding.

To a question about suggestions given to the former prime minister Nawaz Sharif to go to Lahore through the motorway after his disqualification, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said the remarks were given by Mian Nawaz Sharif in a lighter vein and did not name anyone. He said decisions are taken with consensus in the party and everyone accepts that. He said first it was decided that he would proceed through motorway and later the leadership reviewed this decision and everyone accepted it.

Regarding NAB letter to the Interior Ministry requesting names of Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law Captain (r) Safdar to be put on Exit Control List (ECL), the prime minister said it was the ministry’s decision.