Gilani links Kashmir to Indo-Pak tension

Agencies

Islamabad: Contrary to India's contention, Pakistan Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani has linked Kashmir issue with the tension between the countries. "Kashmir issue is the “root cause” of tensions between India and Pakistan," he said.

Disappointed with US special envoy Richard Holbrooke for not including Kashmir issue in his mandate, Gilani said: “Whenever we met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, we said that all issues must be resolved, including the issue of Kashmir, so that we can focus our attention on the common challenges faced by the two countries.”

He suggested that a solution to Kashmir was tied to regional stability. “When they said they appointed Richard Holbrooke as special envoy for the region, we appreciated it, but we later realised his mandate would include only Afghanistan and Pakistan,” Gilani said.

The Prime Minister said it was Pakistan’s belief that India should also be included. “Until Kashmir is on the agenda, when you talk about terrorism, a problem comes up because when there is talk of self-determination or ‘azadi,’ it gets bracketed with terrorism and that becomes a problem,” he said.

“So we are asking for regional co-operation, so a permanent solution can be found to the core issue. We have to see how far [the U.S.] appreciates our position so that we can have prosperity in the region.”