Kashmir issue key to regional peace, says Gilani

Islamabad: Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani today said regional peace cannot be guaranteed until the “core” Kashmir issue with India is resolved.
“Unless this core issue (Kashmir) is resolved, the dream of peace and harmony in the region cannot come true,” Gilani said after inaugurating a two-day conference on Kashmir in Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
Gilani asked peace-loving nations to come forward to help resolve the Kashmir issue, which he contended had “jeopardized peace efforts in the region”.
He noted the need for acknowledging the Kashmiris’ right to self-determination in line with UN resolutions.
Kashmiris were being “subjected to mental and physical torture”, he claimed.
“No significant development can take place in South Asia unless this core issue is resolved,” he said.
Gilani also favoured the continuation of the dialogue between Pakistan and India for resolving the Kashmir issue.