'Pakistan wants to live peacefully with India'

Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said here on Friday that Pakistan wants to live peacefully with India provided New Delhi solves the Kashmir problem. "India should give positive response to Pakistan's sincere and earnest desire for the early peaceful settlement of Kashmir issue according to the aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir," the minister said while addressing the ceremony held under the aegis of the Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (Yasin Malik faction) to observe the 21st martyrdom day of eminent founding leader of the Kashmir freedom movement Maqbool Butt here on Friday evening.
The ceremony also addressed by various JKLF leaders including ex President of the Front Dr Farooq Haider, Khan Perveiz Iqbal, Asghar Hussain Advocate, Tariq Badim, Muhammad Azeem Butt, Advocate, DBA President Muhammad Riaz Inqlabi Advocate, Altaf Qadri, Rafique Dar, Zubair-ul-Haq Insari Latif Taj, Ghulam Muhammad Butt and others.
The recorded speech of the occupied Kashmir-based JKLF Chief Yasin Malik was also delivered in the ceremony.
Speakers paid glowing tributes to late Maqbool Butt for his supreme sacrifice for the cause of liberation of Kashmir.
Sheikh Rashid reiterated Pakistan's firm, principled and unequivocal stance on Kashmir issue declaring that no any solution of Kashmir dispute sans the wishes of Kashmiri people would be acceptable to Pakistan.
He added that since Kashmiris are the prime party to the dispute, the true objectives of the dialogue, which the world community was expecting, would not be achieved unless Kashmiris were involved in the talks.
He said that President Pervez Musharraf could take two steps forward for the sake of resolving the Kashmir issue.
The minister said that the world community shall have to be involved for the early peaceful settlement of Kashmir issue. He said that Pakistan as advocating Kashmiris cause sincerely and whole heartedly being a strong advocate and supporter of Kashmiris legitimate right of self-determination.
Sheikh Rashid further said that President Pervez Musharraf has categorically declared that the basic issue is Kashmir issue, which needs to be resolved without further delay.
The minister said that Kashmir issue would not be allowed to be thrown in the cold storage.
Commenting on the Balochistan, the minister said that Gwadar Port would bring about economic progress and prosperity of Pakistan. He said vital installations in Balochistan would be fully protected.
Sheikh Rashid said that with the grace of Allah Almighty "we have a stable treasury and one of the best Stock Exchange in the world."
He said that after 9/11 there has been a change in the world scenario and he stressed upon the importance of electronic media. He said that licenses for fifty new TV channels have been issued in Pakistan and invited the Kashmiris to apply for the license for their exclusive TV channel which, he added, could be issued even without any fee.
The ceremony was largely attended by the people from various walks of life.