By IANS,
Islamabad : The resolution of the Kashmir dispute holds the key to India-Pakistan ties and the two countries should resume their composite dialogue process that has been halted by the Mumbai carnage, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has said.
He also said that Pakistan’s probe into the Mumbai attacks would be made public after the law ministry has given its response. “After the receipt of final opinion from the law ministry, Pakistan would take the world community and India into confidence.”
Noting that Pakistan “believes in transparency in the investigations”, Gilani said Pakistan “is determined not to allow anyone to use its territory for terrorist acts, as the country itself is a victim of terrorism”, The News reported.
Speaking at a seminar on ‘Kashmir Issue: Conflict resolution in Kashmir is the biggest CBM’ here Thursday, Gilani said: “We hope that the peace process would resume soon and become result oriented in addressing all outstanding issues, including the issue of Jammu and Kashmir.”
“The prime minister said the Kashmir dispute was central to Pakistan-India relations and held the key not only to regional but also to global peace,” The News reported Friday, adding: “He said the world powers had, once again, reiterated their concern on the centrality of this festering dispute and urged peace efforts and called for its early resolution.”
“We fully support and indeed encourage international efforts to this end,” Gilani maintained.
“Regrettably, the tragic Mumbai incident has not only led to a pause in the composite dialogue but also cast a dark shadow on Pakistan-India relations and threatened regional peace,” he said.
In this context, Gilani noted the need for both countries to jointly combat terror.
“We have impressed upon India and the rest of the world that focus of the efforts of the two countries should remain on countering terrorism, which is the real issue,” he maintained.
India has blamed the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba militant group for the Nov 26-29 Mumbai attacks that claimed more than 170 lives, including of 26 foreigners, and injured over 300.
India had Jan 5 submitted a dossier detailing the role of elements from this country in the Mumbai carnage. Gilani said Sunday Pakistan had examined the document and would soon submit its response through diplomatic channels.