This refers to the statement by Pakistani opposition leader and Tehreek-e-Insaaf chief Imran Khan that for Indo-Pak ties to improve, the Kashmir issue should be put on the back burner for a while. Kashmir issue is an important issue and peace of the entire sub-continent is at stake because of the delay in resolving the Kashmir dispute. Imaran Khan perhaps seems to be unaware about the ground realities in Kashmir. Kashmir is a core issue between India and Pakistan. Because of delay in its resolution, hundreds of people have lost their lives in the deadly conflict in Kashmir. So India and Pakistan cannot afford to delay its resolution any more. This need has been felt badly over the past one decade or so. But both India and Pakistan seem to be lacking sincerity and will to address the issue. On the one hand, Imran Khan has said that Kashmir “is a core issue because without Kashmir, you will always have a possibility of going back to square one”, but, on the other, he says the issue should be put on back burner. What kind of a contradiction is this?  There is need for both the countries to realize that the more they delay resolution of Kashmir, the more dangerous it is for peace in South Asia.

Aamir Shafi
Soura Srinagar

Lastupdate on : Thu, 17 Nov 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Thu, 17 Nov 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Fri, 18 Nov 2011 00:00:00 IST