Zardari says Kashmir issue must not affect India-Pakistan trade

Islamabad, Mar 7 : Pakistan People's Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari has said that the differences over the Kashmir issue should not prevent Pakistan and India from reaping benefit "trade and other bilateral cooperative relationships."

"Differences on Kashmir should not prevent India and Pakistan from benefiting from increasing trade and other bilateral cooperative relationships," a statement issued by the PPP quoted Zardari, as saying.

Zardari also said that his party had a clear policy on resolving the differences over the Kashmir issue.

"There was no conflict between India and Pakistan seeking to improve trade and people-to-people contacts and at the same time holding on to their respective positions on Kashmir," he said.

On Tuesday, clarifying Zardari's remarks in which he reportedly expressed readiness to set aside the Kashmir issue to focus on other aspects for improving relations with India, party spokesman Farhatullah Babar said Zardari was quoted out of context in a section of the media.

Babar said that Zardari had told an Indian television channel that the PPP believed in conflict management, simultaneously creating a trading bloc of nations to improve the living conditions of South Asians, and at the same time enhance confidence as key to resolution of outstanding issues.

ANI