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Compromising on Kashmir out of Question
Pakistan has flatly clarified that bargaining on Kashmir is out of question and that the solution of this long standing dispute lies in holding of talks.
During an interview with the daily Jang on Thursday, Pakistan Foreign Secretary Inamul Haq said that the concerned sides could give concessions to each other only after initiation of talks between them on the problem of Kashmir.
"Talks are not possible with the Indian rulers if they stand at the crossroads and start issuing statements about the settlement of the Kashmir problem. Instead the Indian leadership is required to adopt responsible and reasonable attitude towards this chronic problem," he argued.
Commenting on ties between India and Pakistan and settlement of the Kashmir problem, he said that reports about the proposed visit of General Pervez Musharraf to India in March next year are baseless.
No one is in a position to compromise on the question of Kashmir, the foreign secretary maintained.
He said that Pakistan has invited all members of the Executive Council of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC), an umbrella organization of all Kashmiri military groups, to visit Pakistan.
If India has any sincerity with regard to peacefully settling the Kashmir problem, then it is required to allow all members of the APHC Executive Council to undertake a visit to Pakistan, he elaborated.
Haq also said that after part withdrawal of troops from the Line of Control by Pakistan, India is required to reciprocate positively and call back its troops from Kashmir, set free all the arrested Kashmiris and "stop violating human rights" and in this way pave a way for holding talks in conducive atmosphere.
He added that the two countries could get knowledge of basic demands of each other after initiation of talks and only after this they could talk about give and take.
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