KOLKATA, Apr 29: Former Pakistan Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmood Kasuri, who is now heading a task force on Kashmir constituted by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), today said there can be no “perfect” solution to the Kashmir issue which can be acceptable to all.
“There can never be a solution which will be acceptable to 100 per cent of the people in Kashmir and in Pakistan. There is never going to be a perfect solution”, Kasuri said at a discussion on Indo-Pak relations here.
Recalling that peace talks between the then Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf and Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had made significant progress, he said solutions can be found only by statesmen and not politicians.
“Politicians are always thinking about the next elections”, he said, adding that war is no longer an option between the two neighbouring nations.
“The only way forward for us is to remove misunderstandings and have an open communication. That is the only way forward”, Kasuri said.
Having served as the Foreign Minister of Pakistan from 2002 to 2007, he has now joined cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan’s PTI and is heading the party’s task force on highlighting the Kashmir dispute.
Stressing on the role of people to people contact between the two nations, he pointed out that there are small but strong lobbies on both sides of the border who try to create differences.
On the current missile race between India and Pakistan, the politician said even brothers fight sometimes.
“But life goes on. Maybe the competition will decrease later on”, he said while urging the leadership of the two nations to consider public opinion while taking any decision.
Kasuri recalled that both Gandhi and Jinnah had visions of friendly India-Pakistan relationships just the way the USA and Canada have.
“But because of some bitter experiences during partition and the issue of Kashmir, that vision could not be fulfilled”, he said.
Advising politicians of both the countries to stick to their stand even when they go into the opposition, he claimed that he has never changed his stand.
On the issue of terrorism, he said that the biggest victim of the menace has been Pakistan. (PTI)
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