Kashmir issue to be resolved in accordance with aspirations of Kashmiris: Pervaiz Rashid

Lahore: Minister for Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage Senator Pervaiz Rashid said Kashmir issue would be resolved in accordance with United Nations resolutions and aspirations
of the people of Kashmir.

He said this in a meeting with a delegation of Kashmiri Hurriyat leaders who called on him here Tuesday. He said that resolution of Kashmir dispute was imperative for durable peace and stability in the region.

Senator Pervaiz Rashid said Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif has highlighted the Kashmir dispute at all international forums including United Nations General Assembly and reminded the international community of its responsibilities in fulfilling the promise made with the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

Muhammad Nawaz Sharif with his sagacity and statesmanship would mitigate the sufferings of the Kashmiri people as they have rendered unmatched sacrifices for their just cause of freedom from Indian occupation,the minister added.
The minister also reiterated the continued support of the government and the people of Pakistan for the Kashmiris in their struggle for right of self determination.

The delegation praised the Prime Minister for reviving the Kashmir issue which they said had become dormant under the regime of Pervez Musharraf. They also prayed for the health and speedy recovery of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

The delegation was headed by Chairman Jammu and Kashmir Salvation Front Zafar Akbar Bhat.
Secretary Information SM Imran Gardezi was also present in the meeting.

Meanwhile; Senator Pervaiz Rashid Monday said Pakistan Muslim League-N would win upcoming elections of Azad Kashmir Legislative Assembly.
The minister was speaking to a group of senior editors and journalists of AJK-based newspapers at an Iftar dinner hosted here.

Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit Baltistan Chaudhry Barjees Tahir, Minister for Capital Administration Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry and Advisor to Prime Minister for Political Affairs Dr Asif
Kirmani were also present.

No party except PML-N had so far sought applications from candidates, he said adding the party received 250 applications for 29 seats of the legislative assembly. He said PPP had governments in the centre and in AJK, so it should not complain and avoid using unsuitable and violent language.

The minister said those parties which did not have candidates were talking about breaking legs of others.
The PML-N government promised to complete Neelum-Jhelum project in three years and would do it in time, he added. “Our government completed projects left unfinished by the previous government. We do positive politics instead of resorting to abuses,” he remarked.

He said Imran Khan and Bilawal Bhutto Zardari ran campaigns on helicopters while Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his ministers travelled by road to visits areas of Kashmir. He said political parties should act as partners and not adversaries, to resolve issues of poverty, ignorance, unemployment and
disease. July 21 would be a day of victory for PML-N, which would hold the outgoing AJK government accountable, he added.

PML-N AJK President Raja Farooq Haider clarified that PPP AJK government never let pass the access to information bill in the legislative assembly in five years.