President, Prime Minister reiterate commitment to Kashmir cause

05 Feb, 2008

President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Muhammadmian Soomro have reiterated Pakistan's commitment to continue extending moral, political and diplomatic support for the settlement of Kashmir dispute in accordance with the wishes of the Kashmiri people.
In his message on Kashmir Solidarity Day, President Musharraf said that the government was engaged in a sincere, sustained and purposeful dialogue with India on Kashmir. "We believe that with sincerity, courage and flexibility, we can achieve a solution to the longstanding Kashmir dispute," he said. The President said that Pakistan always stressed the need to end violence and human rights abuses in Indian Occupied Kashmir.
"We firmly believe that an enabling environment is necessary for the success of peace process," he said. He said that several Kashmir-related Confidence-Building Measures initiated by Pakistan brought some relief to the Kashmiris living on both sides of the line of control.
The President mentioned his four-point proposal aimed at breaking the decades-old deadlock and demonstrating Pakistan's readiness to work constructively to find a solution acceptable to all parties, especially the Kashmiris.
He said, "Pakistan stands in solidarity with our Kashmiri brothers and sisters and assure them of our full support in their just struggle for self-determination." He said that Pakistanis and Kashmiris all over the world extend their full support for the inherent rights of Kashmiri people to determine their own destiny.
"We salute the families of over ninety thousand Kashmiris who have sacrificed their lives in the valiant struggle to attain their inalienable right to freedom." He said that the Kashmir issue "remains on the agenda of United Nations" as an unfulfilled obligation.
Prime Minister Soomro in his message said that lasting peace in the region could be achieved if international community and India would honour the pledge made to Kashmiri people for their right to self-determination.
"The right of Kashmiri people to self-determination was amongst the first to be recognised by the United Nation. Nearly six decades later, this commitment by the international community remains unfulfilled," he said.
He said that Pakistan remains steadfast in extending its full support to Kashmiris in their just struggle. "We are pursuing a sustained dialogue with India for a peaceful resolution of Kashmir dispute in accordance with the wishes of Kashmiri people," he said.
He said that flexibility shown by Pakistan was reflective of its sincere desire to build an environment of peace and to ameliorate the sufferings of Kashmiris. With this objective, the Government of Pakistan has initiated several Confidence-Building Measures (CBRs) with India related to Kashmir, he added "While honouring exemplary faith and courage demonstrated by the Kashmiri people, we also pay tribute to the countless sacrifices made by them for the last sixty years."
Soomro expressed confidence that the invaluable sacrifices of Kahsmiri people would not go in vain, and freedom would eventually mark a new dawn in Kashmir. "I would like to reassure our brothers and sisters in Kashmir that we would continue to steadfastly support their just struggle," he said.

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