'ISI, Pak Army controlled back channel talks with India during PML-Q regime'

Lahore, Nov.25 (ANI): At the time when Islamabad is pushing for resolution of the Kashmir issue in accordance with the UN resolutions of 1948 and 1949, Pakistan Muslim League -Quaid (PML-Q) Secretary General Humayun Akhtar Khan has revealed that the PML-Q government was involved in back-channel diplomacy with India to resolve the long pending issue.

Addressing a joint press conference with PML-Q's dissident group's leader Khursheed Mehmood Kasuri here, Khan said Islamabad had reached a formula on the issue which was acceptable to a majority of Kashmiri leaders, The Daily Times reports.

Khan said while officials from both India and Pakistan were engaged in backdoor talks, it was the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) and the Army which were the actual players in the dialogue.

"Two officials of the foreign ministry were engaged in backdoor talks with India, however, the main task in this regard was under the control of Pak Army and ISI," Khan said.

Interacting with media persons during the press conference, Kasuri said President Obama should fulfil his promise regarding the Kashmir issue.

Referring to the Indo-US civil nuclear deal, he urged Washington to sign a similar deal with Islamabad.

Kasuri criticised the incumbent PPP government for damaging Pakistan's interests, and added that it was the PML-Q's regime which 'convinced' India to pull out troops from Kashmir.

He said the PML-Q government never took notes from foreign countries, particularly the US.

"The previous government followed the dictates of America neither on the issue of sending troops to Iraq nor did it take part in resolution against Iran.The foreign policy during its regime was completely independent and its truly acted like a government of a sovereign state," Kasuri added. (ANI)