ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office said on Wednesday that Pakistan wants resumption of dialogue process with India for the resolution of all outstanding issues.
Speaking at a press briefing in Islamabad, Foreign Office Spokesman Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry said Kashmir is the core issue between the two countries and its solution lies in engaging in a dialogue process also joined by the Kashmiri leadership.
The spokesman said that Islamabad has always extended moral‚ diplomatic and political support to the Kashmiri people to their right to self-determination.
Chaudhry said that ongoing repression of Indian security forces in the held valley is a matter of grave concern for Pakistan. He said that not only Pakistan but several prestigious human rights organizations have also raised voice against the human rights violations in Occupied Kashmir.
Prime Minister’s Advisor on National Security and Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz, who is currently on a three-day official visit to India to participate in a meeting of foreign ministers of Europe and Asia, held separate meetings with the Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the Indian external affairs minister Salman Khurshid in New Delhi.
Talking about his meetings, the spokesman said the advisor held talks with the Indian external affairs minister and national security advisor on all issues including the situation on Line of Control (LoC). He said Aziz also paid a courtesy call on the Indian Prime Minister today and affirmed desire of Pakistan for the resumption of dialogue to have friendly and peaceful neighborly relations with India.
The FO spokesman said Director Generals of Military Operations of both the countries have made a number of contacts on the LoC situation and concurred to normalize situation at the working boundary. He said that ceasefire agreement of 2003 should be respected for peaceful environment between the two neighbors.
Chaudhry said Prime Minster Nawaz Sharif will visit Kabul to discuss bilateral ties and Afghan reconciliation process. However, he said, no date of the visit has been fixed as yet.
When asked about the whereabouts of Mullah Bradar‚ the spokesman said that he is in Pakistan and can contact his family members. He said Pakistan had released Mullah Bradar to advance the Afghan peace and reconciliation process. He said Pakistan will continue to play a positive role to the Afghan peace and reconciliation process.
The spokesman further said that the protest on the recent drone attack in North Waziristan was conveyed to the US Ambassador to Pakistan. He said we have also briefed the five permanent members of the UN Security Council about the drone attacks which are illegal and carry human rights and humanitarian implications.
