Sultan for Third-party Mediation to Resolve Kashmir Issue  
By Altaf Hamid Rao 'Pakistan Times' Kashmir Bureau Chief

MIRPUR (AJK): Ex-Prime Minister of Azad Jammu Kashmir and J&K Peoples Muslim League Chief Barrister Sultan Mahmood Chaudhry here Monday called upon the international community to move for performing the 3rd party mediatory role to help resolve the Kashmir problem in line with the aspirations of its basic stake holders – the Jammu Kashmir people.

Addressing news conference here Monday, Sultan urged the world community to exert pressure on India to give positive response to Pakistan President Musharaf’s 4-point formula to pave the way for early settlement of the Kashmir problem.

He also emphasized upon the international community to take immediate notice of India’s continued hostile and stubborn attitude towards Pakistan’s peace-loving and sincere approach towards the resolution of the Kashmir dispute.

Barrister Sultan said that despite the flexibility shown by Pakistan for moving ahead to reach to the settlement of Kashmir issue, India was still acting upon her traditional hostile and stubborn attitude of escaping from all offers for resolution of the lingering Kashmir dispute.

He observed that India seemed not sincere to resolve the issue – since New Delhi has not given the positive response of the concessions offered by Pakistan to move forward for the everlasting and durable solution of Kashmir issue.

AJK ex-Prime Minister said that although the CBMs initiated by India and Pakistan were a good omen to reach to the early peaceful resolution of all outstanding disputes between the two countries including Kashmir.

Yet these CBMs so far were proved mere CBMs because of the continued negative attitude of New Delhi towards Pakistan’s peace initiatives and the concessions offered for reaching to the permanent and durable solution of Kashmir issue, he observed.

“Because of India’s persistent hostile approach there seemed no achievement and a positive headway for arriving to the permanent solution of the Jammu Kashmir dispute”, Barrister Sultan said.

The Kashmiri leader also urged upon India to give matching response to President Mushrraf’s four-point formula without further delay – since these proposals provided a strong head-way for the resolution of Kashmir issue on permanent footings, he added.

Barrister Sultan said that his Peoples Muslim League has decided to raise the need of early peaceful settlement of Kashmir issue at the international level – primarily aimed at to project the view point of Kashmiris at the global front. Sultan said that since the U.N resolutions clearly spoke of the settlement of the Kashmir issue, the dispute be resolved in line with these resolutions.

He said; in order to mobilize the international community including the western world, the PML has decided to hold international Kashmir conference in various parts of the world including New York, London, Brussals, Toranto and Berlin in the near future with special focus to muster maximum sympathies of the world community for early grant of Kashmiris legitimate right to self determination denied by India.●