International Community Urged to take Greater Interest on Kashmir Issue
'Pakistan Times' Kashmir Desk

LONDON (UK): Azad Kashmir's ex-Prime Minister and chief of People Muslim League Barrister Sultan Mahmud Chaudhry has urged the international community to show greater interest in Kashmir issue and help break the current impasse.

Speaking at an iftar reception hosted by UK based members of his People Muslim League here on Monday evening, he said the ongoing dialogue between Pakistan and India on Kashmir appears to be making no headway and seems deadlocked.

In order to break this stalemate, he appealed to the international community including the UN, USA, UK and the European Union to use their good offices to revive the issue and force India to respond to the numerous suggestions forwarded by Pakistan for resolving the 60-year-old problem.

However, Barrister Sultan said the Kashmiri leadership on both sides of the Line of Control must also be involved in the process as without their participation and say in the matter, the issue cannot be resolved amicably.

He said India could give the peace process a new lease of life by deciding to withdraw its troops from the main cities of the Kashmir valley as gesture of its seriousness in resolving the issue.

Barrister Sultan Mahmud also attended the annual Labour Party conference in Bournemouth last week as a visitor.

He said he had opportunity of meeting the British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and senior members of his cabinet where he re-emphasised the need for resolving the Kashmir issue.

Speaking about domestic politics in Pakistan, he said the people of Azad Kashmir desire to see a strong, stable and prosperous Pakistan and they cannot remain immune from the events in Islamabad and elsewhere in the country.●