India-Pak peace process: Dialogue is the only way to go forward, says NC leader

Srinagar, December 10: Welcoming the statement of United Nations Secretary General Ban-Ki Moon over the lingering Kashmir issue, Veteran National Conference leader Sheikh Nazir Wednesday said that peace in Kashmir is directly linked with the improvements of relations between India and Pakistan.

In a statement issued here, Sheikh Nazir while hailing the statement of Ban Ki Moon in which he emphasized on the need of resolving the long pending political issue of Jammu Kashmir through dialogue said that National Conference has always stood for the friendship between the two nations.

"The four wars fought between India and Pakistan resulted in nothing other than causing immense destruction to both the neighbors. We firmly believe that the dialogue is the only way to go forward and improve the relations between the two countries," Sheikh Nazir said in a statement.

He stressed that both the nations should take bold steps and go for a composite dialogue to resolve all the long pending issues once for all.

Only a peaceful resolution of this dispute can lead to a prosperous and peaceful sub-continent, he said. "It's also encouraging on part of Moon to have said that Kashmiris should be engaged in any process of resolution and their rights be respected at all times," he added.

Nazir maintained that resolving the Kashmir issue will help in improving socio-economic challenges faced by the people of India and Pakistan it was imperative that the leadership of both the countries should come forward positively and settle long-running dispute amicably in line with Kashmiris.

"Since the beginning, NC has been calling for an end to this bitterness between the two nations. Late Sher-i-Kashmir Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah Kashmir strived hard during his times to get the issue resolved as he always believed that a strong Pakistan is for the welfare of strong India and strong India is for the welfare of strong Pakistan," he said.
He said NC was always ready to play a role of bridge between the two countries and it's because of the struggle of the NC leadership and the supreme sacrifices of its workers that Kashmir issue is alive today.

Terming Kashmir as a key to regional peace Nazir observed that political stability and socio-economic development in entire South Asia was linked to peace but the dream of lasting peace he said would remain elusive as long as the festering Kashmir dispute remains un-addressed.

Stressing the need for early resolution of the issue he said that there was a greater need that India and Pakistan leadership should demonstrate magnanimity and statesmanship to seek a lasting solution to the dispute by engaging genuine representatives in the dialogue process.

Oneindia News