Govt should take parliament into confidence on Kashmir issue: Abbasi

ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister and secretary general of the PDM has impressed upon the government to take the Parliament into confidence about the proposals for solution of Kashmir dispute which are providing base for back-channel talks with India if any such exercise is taking place.

In a brief chat with The News here Sunday, he said Kashmir issue couldn’t be resolved in “close-doors” and maintained that Kashmir isn’t an ordinary dispute since it is linked with the regional and world peace. “Any settlement made on account of it outside and brought for the Parliament endorsement will not be acceptable. The government will have to develop consensus for its resolution as no one single party can bring about solution of it,” he reminded.

Shahid Khaqan Abbasi emphasised the need of resolving the issue in accordance with the aspirations of people of Kashmir in the light of United Nations Security Council’s (UNSC) resolutions which are morally binding on all the parties. Any resolution that doesn’t have support and consent of the people of Kashmir wouldn’t work in any manner. The former premier called upon the parties concerned that Kashmir dispute shouldn’t be viewed as a political issue since it is attached with the life and death of millions of people and has complex background.

He said Confidence- Building Measures (CBMs) could be taken for making the atmosphere conducive for a solution but the solution couldn’t be found in the back-channels and imposed upon the people. The modalities are always discussed apart from the major discussions about the solution, he added.