mujahideen
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Set Kashmir aside, focus on trade
ISLAMABAD (Agencies) - In a major shift from countrys long-standing position, PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari has expressed readiness to set aside the Kashmir issue to focus on other aspects for improving relations with India.
He emphasised that the relations between India and Pakistan should not be held hostage to the Kashmir issue and that the two countries can wait so that future generations resolve the dispute in a mature manner in an atmosphere of trust.
In views reflecting Indias position, Zardari said he was determined to break the barriers and mindsets that deter trade between the two countries. The idea is that we feel for Kashmir, the PPP has always felt for Kashmir. We have a strong Kashmir policy. We have always had one, he said.
But having said that, we dont want to be hostage to that situation. That is a situation we can agree to disagree (on). Countries do, we have positions, you have positions. We can agree to disagree on everything, he said this while speaking in CNN-IBNs programme Devils Advocate.
Noting that India and Pakistan could agree to disagree on (the UN resolutions), he said. We can wait. We can be patient till everybody grows up further. Maybe the coming generation grows up even further and then lets interact as human beings and come to a position of love.
Asked if the PPP would be willing to put aside the Kashmir issue just as India and China had set aside their border dispute to focus on other aspects of their ties, Zardari said: Exactly.
When bilateral relations improve, the two nations can come back and tackle thorny issues with the benefit of improved ties, Zardari said.
Today, there are fixed notions. When dependency increases (and) we have matured enough (and) weve got trust between us, then nobody has fixed issues, the PPP leader said.
Agreeing that Kashmir issue should be set aside for a wiser generation and a better time, he said: As it is, its going to be a no-border world in the end.
Asked about the Charter of Democracy signed by the PPP and the PML-N in 2006 that committed both parties to resolving Kashmir issue in line with UN resolutions, Zardari said, I am not getting hostage to that issue.
Disagreeing that the Kashmir issue could best be sorted out while the army is in power in Pakistan, Zardari said people-to-people contacts and inter-dependence in trade could help negate the fear factor in both countries.
Well, weve had army rule for eight years. Have they solved it? I dont need to convince them, it talks for itself, he argued.
While conceding that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President Pervez Musharraf may have probably had the best understanding ever, he said: I want to take (the relations) to a stage of such confidence-building that the fear factor diminishes from both angles.
People-to-people contacts should be improved, then trade, inter-dependence of trade, if Indian industry depends on Pakistani energy and I depend on the Indian market for my product to be sold, we are both inter-dependent, financially integrated industry-wise.
Asked if there would be support across the Pakistani political establishment for his views, Zardari said: I think the economical dependency that Im talking about, nobody has really made the Pakistanis aware what position they are (in) and what they can gain.
When they realise that they can change, the world will change. Economically, its a thousand per cent leap well get into and the benefit of the thousand per cent leap is going to (have an) effect across the board.
About the response to a possible invitation for the new Pakistani Prime Minister to visit India, Zardari said he (the Prime Minister) would be accompanied by leaders from all other parties that are part of the government.
I think the new PM of Pakistan will not only visit India, he will visit India with the political parties leaders following him. When he gets down, hell be first (with) me, Nawaz Sharif (of PML-N), Asfandyar Wali Khan (of ANP), hopefully Maulana Fazlur Rehman (of MMA), hopefully Altaf (Hussain)s party (MQM). We should all walk behind him, greeting India, he said.
The PPP leader added: I think we should go further than that. Just not visiting and meeting... Lets hit the road running lets meet with concrete steps, lets talk about SAARC, modern technology.
Asked if such a move could trigger a backlash in Pakistan, he replied: Thats what leadership is all about, thats what popularity is all about the fact that I do something with the will of the people is my plus, not my minus.
Describing Congress Party leader Sonia Gandhi as too great for him to emulate, Zardari said his role in a new Pakistani government would be of someone who is with the administration, not above it.
Shes too great for me to be Sonia, he said when asked whether he intended to play a role like Congress President Sonia Gandhi in India.
I dont want to be above the government, I want to be with the government, supporting the government..., said Zardari.
Asked what would be his role in the new government, Zardari said, Well, Ill take a leaf out of your politics and do something like an inter-political role. Talking to the allied parties, making democracy come alive.
Zardari indicated that PPP is rethinking its position on Makhdoom Amin Fahim being the PM candidate as it would have to choose a person who could take along its coalition partners with a new government in Pakistan.
After the PPP did not get a majority in the 18th February parliamentary polls due to selective rigging, it began rethinking the position because of the considerations of forming a coalition government, according to the PPP Co-Chairman.
The issue of choosing the PM candidate was still wide open, he said. Makhdoom Amin Fahim is a very senior person in our party and we respect him tremendously but at the moment the challenge that we are faced with we were looking (before the polls) at getting a two-thirds majority. We thought in the party that this is it, we are going to make it but somehow something happened, Zardari said.
Its not that I need a different person. Now in the party we are rethinking the position. Amin Fahim is of course the first runner, we are just seeing how we are going to get out of this absolute challenge that we have been faced with, he said.
Asked if choosing a PM candidate was causing a rift within the PPP, Zardari replied, We havent really even come to the position where we have started to select. There are many front-runners.
The choice of a final candidate is still a few days away. As the PPP is a federal party, the choice could be a candidate from Punjab, Balochistan or NWFP, he said.
Asked whether he was confident that PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif would support the PPP-led government for five years, Zardari said, I think by and large it depends on the larger party because weve got the large mandate. We have to show humility, we have to take him into our heart and build confidence in my opponents.
When it was pointed out that the PML-N could become a larger party if defectors from the PML-Q joined it, he said, I think the problems faced by Pakistan today are beyond the number games, are beyond the immediate politics. So I think the more we get down to business and the more we get into governance, well realise that. When that dawns on everybody, well all stand in line and start delivering.
Referring to Sharifs demand for immediate impeachment of President Pervez Musharraf and reinstatement of judges deposed during last years emergency, Zardari said No I dont think its a problem. We realise that we have to mature as a democracy and Parliament is the replacement for the system.
The Nation
ISLAMABAD (Agencies) - In a major shift from countrys long-standing position, PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari has expressed readiness to set aside the Kashmir issue to focus on other aspects for improving relations with India.
He emphasised that the relations between India and Pakistan should not be held hostage to the Kashmir issue and that the two countries can wait so that future generations resolve the dispute in a mature manner in an atmosphere of trust.
In views reflecting Indias position, Zardari said he was determined to break the barriers and mindsets that deter trade between the two countries. The idea is that we feel for Kashmir, the PPP has always felt for Kashmir. We have a strong Kashmir policy. We have always had one, he said.
But having said that, we dont want to be hostage to that situation. That is a situation we can agree to disagree (on). Countries do, we have positions, you have positions. We can agree to disagree on everything, he said this while speaking in CNN-IBNs programme Devils Advocate.
Noting that India and Pakistan could agree to disagree on (the UN resolutions), he said. We can wait. We can be patient till everybody grows up further. Maybe the coming generation grows up even further and then lets interact as human beings and come to a position of love.
Asked if the PPP would be willing to put aside the Kashmir issue just as India and China had set aside their border dispute to focus on other aspects of their ties, Zardari said: Exactly.
When bilateral relations improve, the two nations can come back and tackle thorny issues with the benefit of improved ties, Zardari said.
Today, there are fixed notions. When dependency increases (and) we have matured enough (and) weve got trust between us, then nobody has fixed issues, the PPP leader said.
Agreeing that Kashmir issue should be set aside for a wiser generation and a better time, he said: As it is, its going to be a no-border world in the end.
Asked about the Charter of Democracy signed by the PPP and the PML-N in 2006 that committed both parties to resolving Kashmir issue in line with UN resolutions, Zardari said, I am not getting hostage to that issue.
Disagreeing that the Kashmir issue could best be sorted out while the army is in power in Pakistan, Zardari said people-to-people contacts and inter-dependence in trade could help negate the fear factor in both countries.
Well, weve had army rule for eight years. Have they solved it? I dont need to convince them, it talks for itself, he argued.
While conceding that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President Pervez Musharraf may have probably had the best understanding ever, he said: I want to take (the relations) to a stage of such confidence-building that the fear factor diminishes from both angles.
People-to-people contacts should be improved, then trade, inter-dependence of trade, if Indian industry depends on Pakistani energy and I depend on the Indian market for my product to be sold, we are both inter-dependent, financially integrated industry-wise.
Asked if there would be support across the Pakistani political establishment for his views, Zardari said: I think the economical dependency that Im talking about, nobody has really made the Pakistanis aware what position they are (in) and what they can gain.
When they realise that they can change, the world will change. Economically, its a thousand per cent leap well get into and the benefit of the thousand per cent leap is going to (have an) effect across the board.
About the response to a possible invitation for the new Pakistani Prime Minister to visit India, Zardari said he (the Prime Minister) would be accompanied by leaders from all other parties that are part of the government.
I think the new PM of Pakistan will not only visit India, he will visit India with the political parties leaders following him. When he gets down, hell be first (with) me, Nawaz Sharif (of PML-N), Asfandyar Wali Khan (of ANP), hopefully Maulana Fazlur Rehman (of MMA), hopefully Altaf (Hussain)s party (MQM). We should all walk behind him, greeting India, he said.
The PPP leader added: I think we should go further than that. Just not visiting and meeting... Lets hit the road running lets meet with concrete steps, lets talk about SAARC, modern technology.
Asked if such a move could trigger a backlash in Pakistan, he replied: Thats what leadership is all about, thats what popularity is all about the fact that I do something with the will of the people is my plus, not my minus.
Describing Congress Party leader Sonia Gandhi as too great for him to emulate, Zardari said his role in a new Pakistani government would be of someone who is with the administration, not above it.
Shes too great for me to be Sonia, he said when asked whether he intended to play a role like Congress President Sonia Gandhi in India.
I dont want to be above the government, I want to be with the government, supporting the government..., said Zardari.
Asked what would be his role in the new government, Zardari said, Well, Ill take a leaf out of your politics and do something like an inter-political role. Talking to the allied parties, making democracy come alive.
Zardari indicated that PPP is rethinking its position on Makhdoom Amin Fahim being the PM candidate as it would have to choose a person who could take along its coalition partners with a new government in Pakistan.
After the PPP did not get a majority in the 18th February parliamentary polls due to selective rigging, it began rethinking the position because of the considerations of forming a coalition government, according to the PPP Co-Chairman.
The issue of choosing the PM candidate was still wide open, he said. Makhdoom Amin Fahim is a very senior person in our party and we respect him tremendously but at the moment the challenge that we are faced with we were looking (before the polls) at getting a two-thirds majority. We thought in the party that this is it, we are going to make it but somehow something happened, Zardari said.
Its not that I need a different person. Now in the party we are rethinking the position. Amin Fahim is of course the first runner, we are just seeing how we are going to get out of this absolute challenge that we have been faced with, he said.
Asked if choosing a PM candidate was causing a rift within the PPP, Zardari replied, We havent really even come to the position where we have started to select. There are many front-runners.
The choice of a final candidate is still a few days away. As the PPP is a federal party, the choice could be a candidate from Punjab, Balochistan or NWFP, he said.
Asked whether he was confident that PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif would support the PPP-led government for five years, Zardari said, I think by and large it depends on the larger party because weve got the large mandate. We have to show humility, we have to take him into our heart and build confidence in my opponents.
When it was pointed out that the PML-N could become a larger party if defectors from the PML-Q joined it, he said, I think the problems faced by Pakistan today are beyond the number games, are beyond the immediate politics. So I think the more we get down to business and the more we get into governance, well realise that. When that dawns on everybody, well all stand in line and start delivering.
Referring to Sharifs demand for immediate impeachment of President Pervez Musharraf and reinstatement of judges deposed during last years emergency, Zardari said No I dont think its a problem. We realise that we have to mature as a democracy and Parliament is the replacement for the system.
The Nation
