Islamabad: Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said on Tuesday that peace in South Asia was not possible without the resolution of the Kashmir issue.
Qureshi made the remarks while addressing the 6th Ministerial Meeting of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) through a video statement. The meeting was hosted by the current CICA Chair, Kazakhstan, in Nur-Sultan.
He “underscored that sustainable peace in South Asia would remain elusive until and unless the core dispute of Jammu and Kashmir is resolved in accordance with the resolutions of the UN Security Council and the wishes of the Kashmiri people,” according to Foreign Office.
India has repeatedly told Pakistan that Jammu and Kashmir “was, is and shall forever” remain an integral part of the country. It also advised Pakistan to accept the reality and stop all anti-India propaganda.
India has told Pakistan that it desires normal neighbourly relations with Islamabad in an environment free of terror, hostility and violence. India has said the onus is on Pakistan to create an environment free of terror and hostility.
Noting the negative impact of four decades of war and conflict in Afghanistan, Foreign Minister Qureshi called upon the international community to support the Afghan people in their quest for peace, stability and development at the critical juncture in their history.
He lauded CICA’s role in providing an invaluable platform for promoting peace, security and development on the Asian continent through dialogue and cooperation.
The Foreign Minister also called for a just and lasting settlement of the Palestinian question through the two-state solution in accordance with the relevant United Nations resolutions.
He also reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to the CICA process and the concept of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security in Asia. PTI

Press Trust of India