President Dr Arif Alvi on Wednesday cautioned the world community that South Asian region could trigger a nuclear fury if important issues such as Kashmir dispute remain unresolved.
Addressing the inaugural session of Margalla Dialogue, titled 'Peace and Development in South Asia, Middle East, Central Asia (SAMECA), organised by Islamabad Policy Research Institute, the President, however, stated that Pakistan would continue to play its role for maintaining peace in the region despite challenges.
He said that Pakistan has a great and important role in establishing peace and stability in the region, adding that the opening of Kartarpur Corridor is a strong reflection of Pakistan's desire for regional harmony.
The President, however, regretted that the same day, the unilateral decision of Indian Supreme Court in Babri Masque case gave rise to frustration among Muslims and other minorities in India.
On Kashmir, he said that there are several UN Security Council resolutions promising right of self-determination to the Kashmiri people, adding that Pakistan and the Kashmiri people have hopes from the United Nations that these will be implemented.
The President said that the nations should rise above their vested interests and work collectively for the humanity to cope with the challenges including that of the global warming.
He said that the dream of peace and security in the world could not be realized until the countries look beyond the lens of vested interests and resolved mutual conflicts on the principles of humanity.
"The world is letting the people of Kashmir suffer the humanitarian crisis while it protects its vested economic interests," he said, adding that multinational companies have become powerful enough to hijack the opinion and policies of states to get across vested agendas of different lobbies.
He asserted the global resources are under threat due to irresponsibility of some stockholders and the world should come forward to reduce causes of conflict in the world, especially in South Asia.
President Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Sardar Masood Khan, in his address, said that in the case of India and Pakistan, the bilateral regime-Simla Agreement, the Composite Dialogues - has broken and the nuclear deterrence acquired by the two nations has made the resolution of the Kashmir dispute intractable.
"This has left us to reach out to our own constituencies, the international community, global civil society, international political parties and parliaments", he said.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2019