Kashmir never considered as integral part, says FO
ICG report on Afghanistan rejected
By Asghar Ali Mubarak

ISLAMABAD—Pakistan’s stance on Kashmir is unchanged and Islamabad will not show one-sided flexibility over the last standing issue, said Foreign Office spokesperson here. Tasnim Aslam, in her weekly press briefing said that Pakistan had never claimed that Kashmir was its integral part during the last 60 years.
“If the Kashmiris want accession to Pakistan, the government will consult them,” she said, adding, “We honor their aspiration and will continue their support”. She said if the Kashmir issue was resolved and the three parties accepted it, we would come with a new stance, as the situation would be changed. “At present, we have not changed our stance on Kashmir, however, if India shows flexibility, we will also do the same,” she added. Responding to a question, she said, Pakistan wanted resolution of the issue in line with the aspiration of Kashmiri people acceptable to Pakistan and India. The foreign office spokesperson said that Pakistan had never raised the slogan of “Kashmir Banega Pakistan”. She said that Kashmiris raise these slogans and hoped that the people of Kashmir would give preference to accession to Pakistan. She said Pakistan condemn violence in Kashmir and wanted the practice be stopped. Referring to the report of International Crisis Group (ICG) on Afghanistan, the foreign office spokesperson, said that the UN Security Council report on Afghanistan was authentic than that of the ICG. She said that President Hamid Karzai was emotional over the killing of children and civilians.
Tasnim Aslam said that terrorism was a major problem and Pakistan was also its victim battling the war against it. The spokesperson said that Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri in his recent visit to Afghanistan discussed with his Afghan counterpart promotion of bilateral ties, trade, release of prisoners, scholarships and elimination of violence between the two neighbour countries. She said that Pakistan had provided comprehensive recommendations on Pak-Afghan Peace Jirga to Afghanistan while Kabul would hand over its recommendations to Pakistan Embassy in Kabul today. Responding to a question, Tasnim Aslam, said that the World Bank had appointed neutral observer on controversial Baglihar Dam. She optimistically said that the neutral observer would give his verdict in line with the Indus Basin Treaty.
To a query, she said, that getting energy from the United States would be discussed in Pak-US strategic talks, as it was the requirement of Pakistan. Pakistan said Monday it has not given up its position on Kashmir and stands by the resolutions passed by the UN Security Council to resolve the issue according to the aspirations of Kashmiri people. “Kashmir dispute is about aspirations of Kashmiris. According to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions, Pakistan and India are parties to the dispute and Kashmiris have to essentially decide their future,” Foreign Office spokesperson Ms. Tasneem Aslam told a weekly press briefing here. She refuted what is attributed to President Musharraf in an interview on Pakistan ‘s position on the Kashmir issue and said the President was talking about the need for flexibility by all parties to find a settlement of the Kashmir dispute that is acceptable to all sides - first and foremost to the people of Kashmir.