AJK Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, and Senior Vice President PPP of AJK chapter Chaudhry Muhammad Yasin has expressed hope that the recently-resumed talks between India and Pakistan would lead to the settlement of Kashmir issue on priority basis.
Talking to APP on Monday, the minister said President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani-led popularly-elected peoples government was sincerely seeking the resolution ofall outstanding conflicts with India including the core issue of Kashmir through composite dialogue in line with the aspirations of the people of Jammu & Kashmir, the major party to the lingering dispute.
The Kashmiri leader observed that a composite dialogue process between the two countries could bear fruit once the core issue of Kashmir was addressed. Expressing grave concern over continued human rights abuses in occupied Kashmir, the minister said India had unleashed a reign of state terrorism through killing the innocent Kashmiri youth in the occupied valley in fake encounters and charges. "Any dialogue process, bilateral agreement and cultural or economic programme will not proceed further as long as the basic issue of Kashmir is not addressed and resolved as per the wishes of Kashmiris," he added.