ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: Pakistan said on Tuesday that dialogue with India is important for peace, economic development and welfare of the people of the region.
“Pakistan has all along maintained that dialogue between Pakistan and India is important for peace, economic development and welfare of the people of South Asia,” the Foreign Office Spokesperson Tasnim Aslam said in a statement on Tuesday.
“Pakistan firmly believes that the final disposition of the Jammu and Kashmir issue should be in accordance with the will of the Kashmiri people, to be determined through a free and impartial plebiscite under the UN auspices, as enshrined in relevant Security Council Resolutions,” Aslam said.
“Kashmiris are important stakeholders as they are the ones required to exercise their right to self-determination.”
Her statement came in response to a question with reference to the remarks by the spokesperson for India’s Ministry of External Affairs regarding consultations with the Kashmiri leaders.
“Let me reiterate there are only two parties and there is no place for a third party in resolution of India-Pakistan issues. The only way forward to proceed on all outstanding issues is a peaceful bilateral dialogue within the framework of Simla Agreement and Lahore Declaration,” the Indian Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson said on Monday in response to Pakistani High Commissioner Abdul Basit’s statement that India had no objection to Hurriyat leaders being invited on Pakistan National Day.
The Pakistani foreign office spokesperson further said that Pakistan remains committed to a sustained, unconditional and result-oriented dialogue with India to discuss all outstanding issue including the core issue of Jammu and Kashmir.
