Peace process must yield substantive result: President
From Zeeshan Mirza

KARACHI—Pakistan wants to develop its relations with India fully and in every field but this is not possible without the dispute resolution.
This was stated by President General Pervez Musharraf while talking to reporters at the venue of the International Defence Exhibition and Seminar (IDEAS) at the Karachi Expo Centre on Tuesday. To a question, he said Pakistan wants to develop its ties fully with India but this would not be possible without the dispute resolution between the two countries.
However, he said that the two countries would have to move forward collectively towards cooperation, confidence-building and the dispute resolution. President Musharraf hoped that when the Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh visits Pakistan, there would be a headway towards the dispute resolution. To a question, he said that the Kashmir issue is now five decades old while the Siachin issue is also almost 20 years old. There is a headway, but the resolution takes time, he added.
The President said there was improvement on this count in the latest round of discussion and the endeavours are to attain the result. He said that “we are looking forward for a substantive meeting with the Indian Prime Minister during his forthcoming visit to Pakistan but this is only possible when there is a solution of Siachin and Sir Creek issues and a headway towards the Kashmir dispute”. Musharraf said that he is not disappointed with the process which is going on, adding that it is moving ahead in the right direction. He said the progress in this respect is alright and there may be improvement in the coming days. Regarding the exhibition venue, the President pointed out that in the year 2000, this Expo Centre was in almost a dilapidated condition and was encroached upon. He said that “we brought about all the improvements here” and added that he has been told that some 35 exhibitions are held here in an year’s time. Musharraf said that this is our progress on this count in the past five or six years.
About IDEAS 2006, he said that up to 80 countries’ delegates are participating and it is stated that some 90 percent of the world’s defence industry is present at this exhibition. The President said that “ we should be proud that Pakistan is being given such an importance and the exhibitors from abroad want to display their weapons at the IDEAS 2006 and watch our products exhibited here”. He said that the delegates have come for purchasing the weapons and for the joint ventures collaboration. President Musharraf said that this would also benefit Pakistan’s export in this field.