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He emphasised that the relations between India and Pakistan should not be held ‘hostage’ to the Kashmir issue and that the two countries ‘can wait’ so that future generations resolve the dispute in a mature manner in an atmosphere of ‘trust’.
In views reflecting India's position, Zardari said he was determined to break the barriers and mindsets that deter trade between the two countries.
"The idea is that we feel for Kashmir, the PPP (Pakistan People's Party) has always felt for Kashmir. We have a strong Kashmir policy. We have always had one," he said.
"But having said that, we don't want to be hostage to that situation. That is a situation we can agree to disagree on. Countries do, we have positions, you have positions. We can agree to disagree on everything," he told Karan Thapar's Devil's Advocate programme for CNN-IBN.
Noting that India and Pakistan could ‘agree to disagree on the UN resolutions’, he said, "We can wait. We can be patient till everybody grows up further. Maybe the coming generation grows up even further and then let's interact as human beings and come to a position of love."
Disagreeing that the Kashmir issue could best be sorted out while the Army is in power in Pakistan, Zardari said people-to-people contacts and inter-dependence in trade could help negate the ‘fear factor’ in both countries.
"Well, we've had army rule for eight years. Have they solved it? I don't need to convince them, it talks for itself," he argued.
While conceding that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President Pervez Musharraf ‘may have probably had the best understanding ever’, he said: "I want to take the relations to a stage of such confidence-building that the fear factor diminishes from both angles. People-to-people contacts should be improved, then trade, inter-dependence of trade, if Indian industry depends on Pakistani energy and I depend on the Indian market for my product to be sold, we are both inter-dependent, financially integrated industry-wise."
Asked if there would be support across the Pakistani political establishment for his views, Zardari said: "I think the economical dependency that I'm talking about, nobody has really made the Pakistanis aware what position they are in and what they can gain. When they realise that they can change, the world will change. Economically, it's a thousand per cent leap we'll get into and the benefit of the thousand per cent leap is going to have an effect across the board."
About the response to a possible invitation for the new Pakistani Prime Minister to visit India, Zardari said he (the Prime Minister) would be accompanied by leaders from all other parties that are part of the government.
"I think the new PM of Pakistan will not only visit India, he will visit India with the political parties' leaders following him. When he gets down, he'll be first with me, Mr Nawaz Sharif (of PML-N), Mr Asfandyar Wali Khan (of ANP), hopefully Maulana Fazlur Rehman (of MMA), hopefully Mr Altaf Hussain's party (MQM). We should all walk behind him, greeting India," he said.
The PPP leader added: "I think we should go further than that. Just not visiting and meeting. Let's hit the road running let's meet with concrete steps, let's talk about SAARC, modern technology."
Asked if such a move could trigger a backlash in Pakistan, he replied: "That's what leadership is all about, that's what popularity is all about the fact that I do something with the will of the people is my plus, not my minus."
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RatingYes, I agree with the note by Roshan Hashmi. Kashmir is a mountaineous region. To sustain it's population one needs resources from the plain areas, including agricultural and industrial produce of all kinds. It can only offer coverup for nuclear arsenal and tactical advantage to Pakistan, rather than any economic benefit. If the LOC is converted into line of peace and love, it would be a win win deal for both nations.
What is Kashmir issue. In layman terms, it is a feud of property between brothers bitterly separated after the death of their parent. Is it any different from this common day scenario, in spirit or in appeal. It is shameful indeed. It reflects the devil within ourselves, and the root cause which lead to the separation of Pakistan from India. Has it lead to any betterment of people after separation; infact one can argue, it is the main cause of economic backwardness of both nations, and to so much extent that Pakistan has difficulty maintaining on it's feet due to suppression of democracy and mature efforts in it's economic sustainablity. Kashmir issue can ONLY be resolved once the current or future leaders decide, and come to a conclusion, that separation of both nations was a mistake, as people like Mahatama Gandhi thought, who kept love supreme and uppermost of mankind's negative mindset. Whether the mistakes or actions of past can be undone is another thing, but admitting the mistakes and judgement of our forefathers itself can be the largest step we can take to correct the 'devil' in our minds that hurts time and time again. Kashmir issue will then be resolved for good !
This may happen and may not but his sincerity and thoughtfullness has to be apperiated by all who love peace and congenial relations.Only with this open and direct overture he has won great respect among millions.This is the best ever CBM from Pakistan which will lead to better understanding and ofcourse will minimize terrorism.Well done M.Zardari and let it going smoothly.
Atlast someone is thinking straight that violence and dirty tactics can achieve nothing ..
I hope and support Me.Zardari's statement .Lets see if other parties such as ISI ,Islamists and opposition supports his views!Well thought policy statement.Congratulations Mr.Zardari.We the Indians are always there for non violent way to support any human cause.
very refreshing lead ....congratulations to mr.Zardari. for speaking up the non populist stand.frankly, the same continent and one part is thriving andf the another struggling only beacause some religious fanatics want to fight and kill unsuccessfully. they should see how prosperous the muslims are right in India.....even many muslims visiting Gujarat have exclaimed to that,.... the decoit elements if punished it is not against muslims or not against hindus....GOOD HUMAN BEINGS MUST FEEL SAFE AND MUST PROSPERAND BOTH PARTS TO GATHER CAN ACCOMPLISH UNBEIEVABLE HEIGHTS...HERE IS HOPINGAND PRAYING... IF JUST THE POLITICIANS STOP TWISTING THE PEOPLE'S EMOTIONS TO THEIR SHORT SIGHTED ADVENTAGE,
well there are 2 factors which zardari needs to confront; the army and the islamists. musharraf is a tradeable ally who will go either ways, which ever way the wind is blowing. anyways, to begin with its a smart statement to keep aside kashmir and evolve a 360 degree relationship based on trade and commerce. both sides of the border need it desperately, especially pakistan.
we too ready. on behalf of india
This was India's stance from the day one. It was Pakistan that had strong reservations about negotiating anything else but Kashmir. The battering received by the Pakistani forces in Waziristan and elsewhere is the cause behind this sudden heart-change. Who knows, Al-queda's continuation in Waziristan may prove a boon for the latter's improved relations with India. Will it or won't? Only time will say, since nobody knows what might take place between India and an Al-queda and ISI hounded Pakistan tomorrow.
very sensible and mature statement.Lets see how much the army lets him do this
Zardari toning is good but he should stop sending terrorists across the border. If that happens then only we can say that Zaradari is a man of conviction. Otherwise his words would just be another page in the history of Indo Pak relations.
This guy is reasonable,let peace have a chance for God's (or Allah's)sake.Let bygones be bygones and move on and not be prey to Western machinations for long anymore.Let Kashmiris move across soft borders and trade and have social/matrimonial relations across LOC as decided at Mrs Gandhi and Bhutto's time with Pakistan.Its tough trading territories today after 60 years,think the neighbour to the East,the root of India's difficulties friends.Thanks.
Making LOC and AGPL(In Siachen) be made international borders. Thats the only feasible solution.
Zardari's opinion is encouraging. Pak rulers, particularly military dictators continued enmity with India for over 60 years to wrest Kashmir valley from India showing muslim majority in that state. Actually military dictators continued to rule Pakistan by maintaining extreme animosity towards India.
What? And let Kashmir simmer for another decade? Action is needed, not complacency with your a** on it. And they should concentrate on improving their own conditions rather than channeling the Pakistani peoeple's money into something (terrorism) that no one is going to benefit with other than the terrorists.
We have some fresh leadership from both countries. It is a monkey on our back and let's get rid of it. Resolve this issue forever and move on with the well being of Kashmiri nationals and bring peace by forgeting peice of land.
There is no good nor evil, Only Power and the way people go about obtaining it.
The kindof Pakistani position so long sought after by india. A courageous and realistic attitude from Mr. Zardari. We wish him and Indian leaders well here.
Mr. Zardari seems to be an intellegent man. His ideas are out of the box and will benefit people of both nations. I wish him and Indian counterparts good luck. For the good of both these countries leaders like Zardari must succeed.
Politics is compendium of words to say, one must always persevere to be rational, to find a way to lead or else will lose their basic instinct.
Jeay Zardari Jeay!
10% is better then no percent. Finally,a pakistani leader has woken up to the political reality that a peace with its mother country, India is better then destruction of its new born country Pakistan.After all it was ppp leaders who realised that to get back to power it is better to make a deal with lesser devil, India and then bigger devil Musharff who was leading country to its total disintegration, one partiton, is too many.
Authority and Power are not neccessarily INCLUSIVE. De-Jure'(legal) is different than De-Facto'(what is). Since Alexander's time, parts of N.W. terrain, has remained wild region,changing hands between various tribal ragheads. The point is Zandari/Musaraff/Zia/Ayub/Yaya-none, none of the official authority were able to "GOVERN" this terrytory. Musaraff cannot go into Bora-Bora range to look for Osama, despite the massive $$ Bush pumps into that basket case Economy called "Pakistan"-a beggar nation. Zandari may become an authority but basicaly lacks the POWER-a De-Facto reality to stop either the flow of terrorists filtering into Kashmir, nor control terrorist activity within Kashmir itself.munn
Zardari willing to set aside "Kashmir Issue" to focus on other issues is the most positive and wellcome statement from any Pakistani leader since last 60 years i.e. from Independence of both countries. I do hope that he will be able to withstand the possible backlash from the fundamentalists in that country and is able to move forward.India should and will always respond to such a move favourably.
This is the right approach.Properity and well veing will automatically resolve all issues including Kashmir.Together India and Pakistan will be a big economic power in the world and can effectively ensure a very high standard of living to all its people and usher in an era of unmatched prosperityin thr south asia region. Together we can reach the moon.If we continue fighting days are not far of when we will be another Dafur.
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