India's stand on Kashmir shows 'lack of sincerity': Nawaz Sharif

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif today claimed the Indian government's repeated declaration that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of its territory reflected its "lack of sincerity" to resolve the "core issue".

Sharif made the remarks during a meeting with a delegation of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference at Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

He expressed his "dismay at the contradictory stance" taken by the Indian government in addressing the "core issue" of Kashmir, said a statement issued by the Prime Minister's House.

The Indian government's repeated declaration that Kashmir is an integral part of its territory "despite UN resolutions on the subject shows its lack of sincerity to resolve the matter", he claimed.

Kashmir is a longstanding issue and must be settled in accordance with UN resolutions. "I have raised the issue with US President Barack Obama and he also agreed in principle that the issue should be resolved in accordance with the UN resolutions," Sharif told the Hurriyat delegation.

"You have already seen our commitment to the issue in the past and it is our deep desire that the issue should be taken forward towards its resolution in accordance with the desires of the Kashmiri people."

The statement quoted Sharif as saying that he had a dream of seeing Kashmir "free from the Indian occupation and desired that this dream could turn into reality during his life time".

Earlier in the day, while addressing the PoK Council, Sharif said the Kashmir issue should be settled according to UN resolutions and the aspirations of Kashmiris to ensure peace in the region.

Referring to Pakistan-India ties, Sharif claimed it was India which indulged in an arms race. "We were drawn into the arms race by India," he said.

However, he expressed satisfaction that the situation on the Line of Control had improved.

Sharif asked the Kashmiri leadership to offer proposals for expediting the resolution of the Kashmir issue. He also asked the world community to play its role in settling the issue.