ISLAMABAD: Special Assistant to Prime Minister on National Security Moeed Yusuf said on Saturday that Pakistan’s position on Kashmir has been consistent and remains unchanged.
Talking to The News, Moeed Yusuf said Prime Minister Imran Khan offered dialogue to India to resolve Kashmir issue according to the UNSC resolutions if the neighbouring country ensured the necessary enabling environment.
The SAPM highlighted that Prime Minister Imran Khan had clearly maintained that Kashmir issue could only be resolved through UN resolutions and the Kashmiris should be given their just right to self-determination.
Referring to the PM’s statement about the independence for Kashmiris, Moeed Yusuf said that the matter has been confused by those who haven’t noted that the plebiscite has no third option. But once the plebiscite has taken place, and Kashmiris have expressed their desire to join Pakistan, the arrangement on how they want to be associated with Pakistan will be an internal matter. There will be no UNSC resolution governing that.
The PM’s statement was meant to suggest that Pakistan will go to any length to entertain the wishes of the Kashmiri people. “But in reality, we already know that Kashmiris want to be with Pakistan. This is precisely why India has never allowed a plebiscite which is its obligation under international law,” he said.
The special assistant said people need to be careful in critiquing the state’s position without understanding the context as India can use it to demoralise Kashmiris. “The PM’s statement has been well understood and welcomed by Kashmiris in IOJ&K and AJK as a signal of his commitment to honour Kashmiri wishes, but there can be no doubt that Kashmiris will never opt for India and will always want to be part of Pakistan,” he said.
He narrated his conversation with key Hurriyat representatives in the AJK assembly on 5th February where they were thankful to the PM for raising their voice for Kashmiris and informed him of the high morale in IOJ&K despite India’s draconian measures.
For now though the SAPM said Pakistan must remain focused on the international dispute aspect and continue to raise voice for Kashmiris at every forum till India is compelled to give Kashmiris the right to self-determination.
Moeed Yusuf also underlined the difference between the actions of Pakistan and India, the latter of which he said was the clearest stumbling block to peace in the region and the former constantly highlighting its resolve to act in accordance with the wishes of the Kashmiri people. He said that peace would be "a natural outcome" if India became sincere about resolving the Kashmir issue.
Meanwhile, in an interview with a private news channel, Moeed Yusuf said that the United States should not come to Pakistan to solve the Afghan problem by force. He said war on the Pakistani border cannot return, this is Pakistan’s red line.
The national security adviser said Afghan peace agreement could not have reached this point without Pakistan.
“Earlier, the United States used to say do more, but now the United States has recognised Pakistan’s efforts for an Afghan peace agreement. The agreement is signed between the Afghan parties and the United States is a signatory,” he said.
He said that whatever decision Afghans will take, Pakistan will accept it”. A decision was taken with great effort in Doha. Pakistan has a very important role to play in the Doha peace agreement,” he said.
“If the benchmark changes every day, the problems will increase. If a change is required, the Afghan parties should sit down and decide,” he said. Moeed Yusuf said that no change can be brought about through coercion.