Kashmir is the mother of all disputes: Warsi

ISLAMABAD Baroness Sayeeda Warsi, Minister/Chairperson Conservative Party of United Kingdom admitted on Saturday that Kashmir issue is the mother of all the deputes pending between Pakistan and India and said it should be resolved according to wishes of Kashmiris. She was responding to a question during joint press conference with Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi held at the premises of Foreign Office. Warsi said, I belong to Baramula (Kashmir) and understand sensitivity of this core issue. However, I dont want to get into detail with reference to its history rather I would like to say it should be resolved according to wishes of Kashmiris. She said, I know that people of Pakistan and Jammu and Kashmir have great expectations from me, my party and coalition government of Prime Minister David Cameron regarding dispute of Kashmir. However, she maintained that Kashmiris must be taken on board as this dispute can only be solved according to their own wishes. Speaking to journalists Warsi assured Pakistan of UKs full support in the fields of education and war on terrorism. UK is Pakistans most trusted friend and I want to assure you that we will not leave Pakistan alone at any front, Warsi said. On this occasion, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said he has held a detailed session of talks with Baroness Sayeeda Warsi who has assured of UKs help to Pakistan in getting Pakistani goods access to EU markets. We have discussed in detail all the issues and UK side has assured that they will support Pakistan to get Pakistani goods access to European markets, Qureshi told journalists. Staff Reporter from Mirpur, AJK, adds: Pakistani-origin head of Britains ruling Conservative Party and the cabinet minister in the David Camerons government, Baroness Sayeeda Warsi Saturday urged both Pakistan and India to initiate effective steps for early peaceful resolution of the Kashmir dispute. Addressing a reception hosted by the citizens of Mirpur in her honour, she promised that the UK would help both the countries for the early peaceful solution of the issue. She said the problems of UK-based Kashmiris were being addressed on a priority basis as they had been playing an effective role for the progress and prosperity of the adopted country. Warsi said because of the close links between the UK and the Kashmir, the mutual relations would be strengthened with the passage of time through enhanced cooperation in various fields. She maintained that certain problems prevailing in the British immigration system would be resolved soon, which result in removal of all the hurdles for the genuine applicants to enter the UK. Speaking on this occasion, British High Commissioner to Pakistan Adam Thomson said his country was acting on integrated plan to promote friendship with Pakistan through bilateral cooperation in all fields especially in education and health, adding that during the first phase of the plan, a project for improved linkages between Mirpur and the United Kingdom was being launched by the British government. It is primarily aimed at bringing the youth closer to each other by exchanging professional know-how in various fields, he added. Former AJK prime minister Sardar Attique Ahmed Khan, senior vice-president PPP AJK Ch Muhammad Yasin and senior PML AJK leader Ch Muhammad Arshad also spoke on the occasion. They paid tributes to Sayeeda Warsi for her meritorious services in social, political and other sectors.

ePaper - Nawaiwaqt