February 5 strong reminder of Kashmiris’ rights: Shahbaz

While addressing the joint session of Azad Jammu and Kashmir’s Legislative Assembly and Kashmir Council in Muzaffarabad on Friday, the premier said that the Pakistan wants peace in the region and is ready to cooperate with India on all issues including terrorism.

The signature campaign was launched by the Kashmir Council EU.

“It is not possible that one part of the region should be prosperous and the other part in trouble (Indian side of Jammu and Kashmir)”.

“Unless we sit together and talk about these issues, they won’t be resolved”, Sharif said, expressing hope that the Comprehensive Bilateral Dialogue between Pakistan and India would see progress in days to come. He said the United Nations was answerable to the world for its failure to implement resolutions on Kashmir.

He said Pakistan wanted peace in the region and conflict had also not been the policy of China, adding that benefits of CPEC would reach to Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

“I brought this up with the Indian leadership and would like to reiterate that the solution to our problems lies in dialogue”.

Kashmir Solidarity Day was observed at the Pakistan Embassy here yesterday to express solidarity with the people of Kashmir in their struggle for the realisation of their fundamental and inalienable rights. “Right of self determination in this region should be accepted”, Sharif said. The Prime Minister also announced Rs 150 million for various development projects in AJK. They said that despite facing many difficulties, Pakistan had always advocated the settlement of the Kashmir dispute in accordance with the Kashmiris’ aspirations.

The Prime Minister said the present PML-N government meant to lay a railway line from Islamabad to Muzaffarabad and expressway from Muzaffarabad to Mirpur.

Nawaz Sharif said there should be no compromise on principles and the preference should not be given to personal interests over national interests.

Talking to a private news channel, he termed Pakistan’s support for the Kashmir cause based on moral, political and diplomatic levels as historic. On the occasion, the speakers urged the worldwide community including the European Union to play their role for peaceful resolution of the lingering Kashmir dispute.

Pakistan has taken initiative to extend a hand of friendship towards all South Asian countries and the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is a proof of that.

Government will not bow before “illegal and unjustified” demands of PIA employees.