Islamabad: Pakistan President Mamnoon Hussain on Wednesday said that Kashmir dispute and unresolved issues of Sir Creek and Siachen with India were major hurdles to peace and stability of South Asia.
He was addressing a seminar ‘Peace in South Asia, organized by Pakistan Institute of International Affairs in Pakistan’s port city Karachi on Wednesday. “Challenges and threats in South Asia can be addressed through regional cooperation and resolution of longstanding disputes,” Radio Pakistan quoted Hussain as saying.
“The deteriorating situation in Kashmir has badly impacted the regional peace as India is trying to suppress the legitimate struggle of Kashmiris for self-determination, dubbing it as terrorism,” he said.
He said Kashmiris are fighting for their right of self-determination, which has been pledged to them by the UN Security Council. The President said the ‘US strategy to pamper India as a big regional power could also negatively impact the regional situation.’
“Such an attitude could propel an arms race among countries of the region at the cost of socio-economic development,” he added.
