Peace between India and Pak neccessary: Zardari

Islamabad, Sep 20: Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari on Saturday, Sep 20 has stated that the need of the hour is to improve bi-lateral ties. Delivering his maiden speech to a joint session of Parliament, he said the Charter of Democracy binds the government to a framework of peace and justice for the people of Pakistan and peace and friendship with India.

Pakistan has decided to resume the composite-dialogue process with India, driving its relations through enhanced trade, he added. He expressed complete commitment to the Kashmiri people in their just struggle for their fundamental rights.

“We will continue to seek the settlement of all outstanding disputes, including the dispute over Jammu and Kashmir so that the main hurdle in the way towards peace and full normalization of relations between Pakistan and India is removed."

President Zardari said as a new initiative a cross-LoC trade as a pioneering CBM in Kashmir will be started.

He also proposed a more liberal visa regime to further expand people-to-people contacts and friendly exchanges, and establish new facilities for the visiting Sikh and Hindu pilgrims.

He urged the Parliament to form a bipartisan caucus for the purpose of resolving outstanding disputes relating to Kashmir and the Indus Water head works. “All the possible solutions on Kashmir will be discussed first in a parliamentary committee on Kashmir and then the final solution will be approved by parliament," he said."

The Pakistan Government would soon form a parliamentary caucus for forging consensus on Kashmir and the peace process with India and decision to establish the body was taken on the initiative of President Zardari.

He claimed Nawaz Sharif, Asfandyar Wali, Maulana Fazlur Rehman and Altaf Hussain will be on board on any breakthrough over Kashmir.

ANI