PoK President urges India to resume dialogue

President of Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (POK) Raja Zulqarnain Khan has urged India to seriously consider President Pervez Musharraf's proposals to resolve the Kashmir issue and to resume the dialogue process, stalled after the Mumbai bomb blasts.

"Its essential for the Indian leadership to show sincerity for finding an honourable solution to the Kashmir issue in accordance with the wishes of the Kashmiris.

"It should also give serious consideration to President Pervez Musharraf's suggestions of joint control, demilitarisation and self-governance," Khan, 73, who assumed office in POK capital Muzafarabad yesterday, said in his acceptance speech.

"We fully support peace process in the region and hope it will engender a solution to the Kashmir issue that reflects the sentiments of the people of this state," he said.

Claiming that India had "sabotaged" the peace process on the "pretext" of Pakistan's alleged involvement in the Mumbai serial train blasts, he said, since those "accusations had been proven as unfounded," Indian leadership should review its decision to defer the talks.

Praising Musharraf's Kashmir policy, which he said had opened new avenues for settlement of the longstanding issue, he said, "the suggestions of President Musharraf enjoy support of majority in Kashmir and they have provided an opportunity to the Indian leadership to move forward."

Khan said top priority would be given to reconstruction and rehabilitation in places affected by last October's earthquake.

He also rejected opposition's allegations of rigging in the July 11 elections and claimed the polls were free, fair and impartial, Dawn daily reported.