Peaceful settlement of Kashmir dispute ‘indispensable,’ says Pakistan’s new premier

By Aamir Latif

KARACHI, Pakistan (AA) – Pakistan’s newly elected Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday said that “peaceful” settlement of the Kashmir dispute with neighboring India is “indispensable.”

Thanking his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi for felicitations on his election as premier, Shehbaz said that Islamabad desires “peaceful” and “cooperative” ties with New Delhi.

“Thank you Premier Narendra Modi for felicitations. Pakistan desires peaceful & cooperative ties with India. Peaceful settlement of outstanding disputes including Jammu & Kashmir is indispensable,” Shehbaz, who was elected Pakistan’s 23rd prime minister on Monday, said on Twitter.

“Pakistan’s sacrifices in fighting terrorism are well-known. Let’s secure peace and focus on the socio-economic development of our people,” he further said.

The erstwhile princely state of Jammu and Kashmir has been a bone of contention between the two nuclear rivals since 1947, following the end of British colonial rule in the subcontinent.

The Muslim majority picturesque valley is held by Pakistan and India in parts and claimed by both in full. A small sliver of Kashmir is also held by China.

Since they were partitioned in 1947, the two countries have fought three wars – in 1948, 1965 and 1971 – two of them over Kashmir.

Some Kashmiri groups in Jammu and Kashmir have been fighting against Indian rule for independence, or unification with neighboring Pakistan.

According to several human rights organizations, thousands of people have reportedly been killed in the conflict in the region since 1989.