Pak adopts new policy on Kashmir

Pak adopts new policy on Kashmir
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

ISLAMABAD, DECEMBER 13: Pakistan's military regime has adopted a new, five-point policy on Kashmir envisaging stepping up support to Kashmiri militants and not holding dialogue with India for restoration of trade, economic and friendly relations till New Delhi agreed to "meaningful" and "result-oriented talks", newspaper reports said today.

The policy, chalked out under the guidance of military ruler General Pervez Musharraf, was drafted after taking into confidence leaders of Pak-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and in the light of a letter written reportedly by Hurriyat President Syed Ali Shah Gilani to the military ruler, Urdu daily Jung reported.

The Kashmiri leadership of PoK not only expressed support to the new policy, but also criticised the Nawaz Sharif government for holding "meaningless dialogue" with India, it said.

Leading English daily The Nation said a top official of the junta also held discussions with Hurriyat representatives in PoK on the Kashmir issue.The Jung said, firstly Pakistan would nothold any dialogue with India for restoration of trade, economic and friendly relations unless New Delhi agreed for "meaningful" and result-oriented" talks on Kashmir.

Secondly, the PoK Kashmiri leadership would be given a free hand by the military regime to highlight the Kashmir issue at national and international levels.

Thirdly, the Pakistan junta would on its own utilise all possible ways to highlight the Kashmir issue at national and international levels, the Jung report said.

Pakistan would also step up political, diplomatic and moral support for self-determination by Kashmiris, who would take decisions independently, it said.

Lastly, Pakistan would not enter into any deal with India at the cost of the Kashmir issue and there would not be any "give-and-take" over it.

The policy was finalised, the report said, following a meeting with PoK Kashmiri leaders, including the Prime Minister of Pakistan occupied Kashmir and President of the All Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Conference, Sardar Abdul Qayyum,AJK Jamaat-e-Islami chief, Abdul Rashid Turabi, AJK Muslim League chief major (retd) Mohammad Hayat, AJK Peoples Party Chief Sardar Khalid Ibrahim.

Gen Musharraf, after seizing power, has been offering "unconditional and result-oriented dialogue" with India, while insisting that the "core issue" of Kashmir had to be resolved at the outset for any productive outcome to the dialogue.

Last week he had told an international TV network "if anyone thinks that peace can come about in the region without sorting out Kashmir (issue), they are dreaming."