Aspirations of Kashmiris can't be ignored, suppressed: Pak

In a veiled criticism of India, Pakistan today said unilateralism and preconditions were a recipe for gridlock in relations and asserted that "aspirations of Kashmiris can neither be ignored nor suppressed" while describing the Kashmir dispute as the root cause of all bilateral problems.
Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit said his country had always wanted a normal relationship with India as peace was not only in the interest of the two countries but also in the interest of the region as a whole.
"Unilateralism and preconditions were a recipe for gridlock in inter-state relations," he said and expressed hope that "India would revisit its position as it defied logic to be locked in a perpetual conflictual relationship."

The Pakistan envoy was addressing the Federation of Indian Exporters Organisation (FIEO) here, a release by the Pakistan High Commission here said.
Delving on the reasons that did not allow the two neighbours to bring mutual hostility to an end, Basit said, "The root cause of all the bilateral problems was the longstanding Jammu and Kashmir dispute," and emphasised that "aspirations of Kashmiris can neither be ignored nor suppressed; the sooner it is realised the better it would be".
Basit's comments come days after his Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif writing to the leader of women separatist outfit Dukhtaran-e-Millat Asiya Indrabi, praising her role and pledging "moral, political and diplomatic" support of his government.

In September, Pakistan, had cancelled scheduled NSA-level talks after accusing India of putting preconditions including disapproving Pakistan's National Security Advisor Sartaj Aziz's invitation to Kashmiri Hurriyat leadership for a meeting.

On the economic relations, the envoy said economic ties are bound to hit snags perennially in an unpredictable political environment.
Asserting that there was huge potential between the two countries, he said, nevertheless, it was necessary to have a level playing field with a view to make trade mutually beneficial.
"The world is aware that Pakistan has a long history of
violence and terrorism against India, as also in the broader region," Swarup said, adding the talks between the two countries must be held as per the framework of the Simla agreement of 1972 and Lahore Declaration of February 1999.

"The Indian state of J&K has been its particular target. This record began with the Government of Pakistan sending armed raiders into J&K in 1947 and was repeated in 1965.
"More than three decades later, displaying a similar attitude, military personnel were infiltrated across the Line of Control in Kargil in 1999. This approach to India was reflected in support for terrorist activities in Jammu & Kashmir that continues to the present day.
"These acts were initially denied by the Government of Pakistan and attributed to local population, only to be admitted later by Pakistan's leaders who directed and organised such cross-border attacks on India, and assaults on the local people," he said.

Referring to the Lahore Declaration of February 1999, he said then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had reiterated Pakistan's determination to implement the Simla Agreement in letter and spirit.
He also talked about the assurance given by then President Musharraf in January 2004 that he will not permit any territory under Pakistan's control to be used to support terrorism against India.
Asked about Pakistan Foreign Ministry Spokesman Nafis Zakaria's statement that Prime Minister Narendra Modi crossed the "red line" by talking about Balochistan, Swarup said he finds it an extraordinary remark by a country which recognises no red line in its diplomacy.

"I find this an extraordinary remark from a senior functionary of Pakistan that recognizes no red lines in its own diplomacy. Pakistan's record of cross-border terrorism and infiltration is at the heart of the problems in the region today. And this not just India's view. You can ask some other countries in the region too," he added.