Kashmir is cornerstone of Pak foreign policy: Gilani
The Kashmir issue is the cornerstone of Pakistan government's foreign policy and there cannot be any compromise on the matter, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said on Wednesday.
The Kashmir issue is the cornerstone of Pakistan government's foreign policy and there cannot be any compromise on the matter, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said on Wednesday.
He made the remarks while responding to several points raised by members of different parties in the Senate or upper house of parliament Wednesday night.
Gilani said his government will continue to extend moral, diplomatic and political support to Kashmiris in their struggle.
The sacrifices of the Kashmiris will not go waste and there will be "immense pressure" on India from the world community to resolve the longstanding dispute, he added.
He also announced that a comprehensive security policy will be formulated and implemented in the light of recommendations by the parliament.
The government will convene a meeting of the Defence Committee of the Cabinet to get inputs from stakeholders in this regard, he said.
The Pakistan People's Party-led government will adopt and pursue policies on foreign affairs, economics and nuclear issues that would be acceptable to all, Gilani said.
He was also confident that the policy of reconciliation being pursued by the PPP-led government will bring about a positive change in political culture and help forge consensus on national policies.
Referring to the ministerial-level strategic dialogue with the US that began in Washington today, Gilani said a unanimous strategy has been adopted for this by the civil and military leadership through a process of consultations.
The inclusion of Army Chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and Inter-Services Intelligence agency chief Lt Gen Ahmed Shuja Pasha in the Pakistani delegation for the dialogue is a clear message that the military leadership in on board on the issue, he contended.
The government will take the political leadership into confidence on the outcome of the strategic dialogue and it will not hide anything from the nation, he said.
Gilani pointed out that there was a trust deficit between Pakistan and the US in the past but now the whole world is supportive of Pakistan because of its role in the war on terror.
The strategic dialogue indicates a "major paradigm shift" in the policy of the US, he added.
There is a realisation in the US about the power crisis in Pakistan and the energy issue will be one of the priority items in the agenda for the strategic dialogue, he said.
Gilani said he was confident that Pakistan will get unprecedented investment in the energy sector.
Gilani also said the passage of a proposed constitutional reforms package will be the biggest achievement since the adoption of the constitution in 1973.