Kashmir’s Resolution Depended on Political Will: FO
By Maria Khan 'Pakistan Times' Diplomatic Correspondent

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Monday strongly reacted to India's advice to Sri Lanka not to purchase any weapons from China and Pakistan, saying it would not accept hegemonic designs of any country.

"We do not accept hegemonic tendency from any country in the region and believe that respect for sovereign equality of states is essential for peace and harmony," Foreign Office spokesperson Ms Tasnim Aslam told a weekly media briefing.

She was responding to a question about India's National Security Advisor M. K. Narayanan's comments last week asking Sri Lanka not to purchase arms from Pakistan and China to fight the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.

Ms Tasnim Aslam however said that the matter was primarily for the Sri Lankan government to deal with.

She said the statement by the Indian Security Adviser had raised questions about India's "attitude and policy towards its neighbours".

Commenting on Indian Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee's statement in which he said that no timeframe could be given about the resolution of Kashmir issue, Ms Aslam said, "We have taken note of his remarks."

She said resolution of the lingering Jammu and Kashmir dispute depended on political-will from both sides.

"Pakistan has well demonstrated the political will...The peace process between Pakistan and India is making progress and the issue of Jammu and Kashmir is at the centre of this process," the spokesperson added.

She said Kashmiris on both side of the Line of Control and the Kashmiri diaspora elsewhere were in favour of de-militarization of the disputed territory.

BJP Statement

When asked about a statement by the Bhartya Janta Party (BJP) urging the Indian government to wait before moving ahead on the peace process till a new government comes into power in Pakistan, Ms Aslam said, "domestic situation in any country should not have any effect on the peace process."

The spokesperson termed speculative a media report saying that Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz cancelled his visit to United Kingdom for avoiding a meeting with Mutahidda Qaumi Movements chief Altaf Hussain.

Instead, she said the cancellation was due to the Prime Minister's presence required at the meeting of National Security Council held on Monday in Islamabad.

Commenting on the case to be filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan against Altaf Hussainin UK, Ms Aslam said in the past Pakistan and United Kingdom had been in dialogue process for legal matters, however there existed no extradition treaty between the two countries.

Details

Pakistan on Monday strongly reacted to India's advice to Sri Lanka not to purchase any weapons from China and Pakistan, saying it would not accept hegemonic designs of any country.

"We do not accept hegemonic tendency from any country in the region and believe that respect for sovereign equality of states is essential for peace and harmony," Foreign Office spokesperson Tasnim Aslam told a weekly media briefing.

She was responding to a question about India's National Security Advisor M. K. Narayanan's comments last week asking Sri Lanka not to purchase arms from Pakistan and China to fight the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.

Tasnim Aslam however said that the matter was primarily for the Sri Lankan government to deal with.

She said the statement by the Indian Security Adviser had raised questions about India's "attitude and policy towards its neighbours".

Commenting on Indian Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee's statement in which he said that no time frame can be given about the resolution of Kashmir issue, Ms Aslam said, "We have taken note of his remarks."

She said resolution of the lingering Jammu and Kashmir dispute depended on political will from both sides.

"Pakistan has well demonstrated the political will...The peace process between Pakistan and India is making progress and the issue of Jammu and Kashmir is at the centre of this process," the spokesperson added.

She said Kashmiris on both side of the Line of Control and the Kashmiri diaspora elswhere were in favour of de-militarization of the disputed territory.

When asked about a statement by the Bhartya Janta Party (BJP) urging the Indian government to wait before moving ahead on the peace process till a new government comes into power in Pakistan, Ms Aslam said "domestic situation in any country should not have any effect on the peace process."

The spokesperson termed speculative a media report saying that Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz cancelled his visit to United Kingdom for avoiding a meeting with Mutahidda Qaumi Movements chief Altaf Hussain.

Instead, she said the cancellation was due to the Prime Minister's presence required at the meeting of National Security Council held on Monday in Islamabad.

Commenting on the case to be filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan against Altaf Hussain in UK, Ms Aslam said in the past Pakistan and United Kingdom had been in dialogue process for legal matters, however there existed no extradition treaty between the two countries.●