Caretaker Prime Minister Mohammedmian Soomro while reiterating government's commitment and fullest support to the people of Kashmir for their right of self determination said that Kashmir dispute must be resolved in accordance with the wishes and aspirations of the Kashmiri people as enshrined in the United Nation resolutions.
The Prime Minister was addressing the 41st session of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Council, held here at the Prime Minister's Secretariat on Monday. Soomro said that the people of Pakistan and Kashmir share common faith, history, heritage and traditions. Pakistan's support to its Kashmiri brethren for their over six-decade long struggle for their right of self determination, he said would remain unwavering at all times.
The Prime Minister said that the government of Pakistan has been providing moral, political and diplomatic support to its Kashmiri brethren in their just struggle for self determination and would continue providing this support till the resolution of the dispute.
He said that peace, stability and development in the region could only be achieved through the resolution of all outstanding issues including the core issue of Jammu and Kashmir.
The Prime Minister while expressing concern over the human rights violation in occupied Kashmir by the Indian forces said that such oppressive acts must come to an end as the voice of the people of Kashmir cannot be suppressed through brutal force and the people of Kashmir should be allowed to decide their own destiny.
The Prime Minister said Kashmir issue is a major hurdle in the way of sustainable peace in South Asia, which could only be materialised through early resolution of Kashmir issue. In this regard, he said, the government of Pakistan is fully committed to the process of composite dialogue with India for resolving all outstanding issues including the issue of Jammu and Kashmir but underlined the need for flexible and bold initiatives from the Indian side as well, in order to resolve this decades old dispute.
The Prime Minister mentioned that the President Pervez Musharraf had already offered a four-point formula for amicably resolving this issue to achieve lasting peace in the region. He called upon the need for a purposeful dialogue process involving all the stakeholders for its early resolution.
The Prime Minister said that this is high time to move forward from conflict management to conflict resolution. He said that durable peace in the region would bring prosperity for the people and progress for the whole region.
While speaking on the rebuilding and rehabilitation efforts the Prime Minister said the earthquake of October 8th, 2005 caused colossal damages to life and property in AJ&K. However, the response was the most outstanding and the reaction of the people of Pakistan was described as one of our finest display of national cohesion and national commitment. The entire nation galvanised to help out the people of AJ&K in distress. The outpour of unity and solidarity witnessed during the relief and rescue period, he added was unprecedented in the country's history.
The Prime Minister said that the government of Pakistan would provide all possible help to AJ&K for its infrastructure and other social development projects thus improving the standard of living of the people.
The President of AJ&K, Raja Zulqarnain Khan while expressing thanks to the government of Pakistan for its support for their just cause of self determination at every forum said that the AJ&K government fully supports President Musharraf's four-point agenda and called upon the Indian leadership to reciprocate it with same spirit.
The Prime Minister of AJ&K, Sardar Attique Ahmad Khan said that Kashmiris would never forget the help and support rendered by the government of Pakistan and the solidarity shown by its people towards their Kashmiri brethren at all occasions.
The Minister in-charge Kashmir Affairs Abbas Sarfraz tabled three bills before the session, which the Council passed unanimously.
THE DETAILS OF THE BILLS ARE AS UNDER:
1. The electricity (Adaptation) Amendment Act 2008.
2. The AJ&K income tax (Adaptation and validation) Act 2008.
3. The members of AJ&K Council (Salaries & Allowances) Amendment Act 2008.
The Minister also moved a motion for funding the building and equipment requirements for the AJ&K rural support programme by the AJ&K Council, which the Council also approved unanimously.
The charter of the AJ&K rural support programme is to support the government of AJ&K in alleviating poverty and improving the living standard of the people living in rural areas and to generate resources to achieve these objectives. The Caretaker Federal Minister for Interior, Hamid Nawaz Khan and other members of the council also attended the meeting.