Kashmir dispute is core issue between India and Pak: Gilani

Rezaul H Laskar
Islamabad, Jul 20 (PTI) The Kashmir dispute is a "core
issue" between India and Pakistan and New Delhi should show
"more seriousness" about the dialogue process between the two
countries, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said here
Tuesday.
"Kashmir is a core issue between India and Pakistan
and we have raised the Kashmir issue at every level and (in)
meetings with foreign delegations," Gilani said during an
interaction with a delegation of the All Pakistan News
Agencies Council.
He said India should show "more seriousness" about the
bilateral dialogue process.
"We want to take the dialogue process further," he
added.
Gilani said he had told his Indian counterpart during
their last meeting in Bhutan in April that Pakistan’s "present
government enjoys broad-based support of all political
parties, institutions and stakeholders (and) therefore, it is
in a much better position to negotiate outstanding issues with
India".
The premier’s remarks came five days after talks
between the Foreign Ministers of the two countries failed to
make any headway.
Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has said he is
unwilling to travel to New Delhi for further talks unless
India is prepared to hold a constructive and result-oriented
dialogue.
Gilani also spoke to the journalists on several
domestic issues, including the drive to verify the degrees of
members of the national and provincial assemblies and proposed
transit trade agreement between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Clarifying confusion in media reports about transit
trade with Afghanistan, Gilani said a broad-based
understanding has been reached by Islamabad and Kabul to
initiate discussions on a possible agreement.
An agreement can only be signed after ratification by
the cabinet, he said.
Replying to a question regarding Pakistan’s recent
participation in the US Nuclear Summit, Gilani said this was
the first time that the world accepted Pakistan’s nuclear
status.
Asked about the disqualification of lawmakers found to
possess fake degrees, Gilani said whenever a seat in the
provincial or national assemblies is declared vacant, the
Election Commission will hold polls within the prescribed
schedule. PTI