Pak PM advocates early, peaceful settlement of Kashmir issue

Islamabad, Jun 7 (UNI) Pakistan Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has emphasised that an early, just and peaceful settlement of the Kashmir issue, keeping up with the aspirations of Kashmiri people, will help Pakistan and India achieve their full potential.

''Pakistan is committed to improving relations with India so as to usher in an era of peace in the region,'' Mr Gilani told Rajya Sabha MP and eminent journalist Kuldip Nayar here yesterday.

He pointed out that relations between the two neighbours always improved when a civilian government was in place in Pakistan, the Associated Press of Pakistan reported.

The Prime Minister said his government would continue to take up more Confidence Building Measures to further improve ties in different fields.

People-to-people contacts would also be increased to improve relations between the two countries, he added.

He said restoration of the 1973 Constitution in its original form was the government's top priority as it wanted Parliament to be supreme and sovereign.

He said the constitutional balance as envisaged in the 1973 Constitution would be restored, adding that he was confident that Pakistan polity would gradually shape up into a two-party system as was the case before 1998.

Mr Gilani said his government was also committed to the independence of judiciary and reinstatement of judges, for which modalities were being worked out with the coalition partners.

The meeting was attended by senior officials of Pakistani Ministries of Information and Foreign Affairs.

Mr Nayar was in Pakistan to attend a seminar in Lahore.

UNI XC SKB NS1642