*LAHORE:* Federation of Pakistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, SAARCChamber Pakistan chapter and Lahore Chamber on Monday jointly slammedIndian premier Narendra Modi for declining Nepalese Prime Minister’s KPSharma Oli offer for participating SAARC summit in Islamabad.
They said India’s stubborn stance on SAARC would disrupt process of makingSouth Asia a global superpower and jeopardise all efforts designed forachieving durable peace and prosperity in the region.
Vice President Iftikhar Ali Malik after chairing a high level meeting oftrade leaders, giving his reaction to media at the refusal of India forparticipating in SAARC summit if Pakistan hosts it, said South Asia cannotprogress in any sphere of life unless the core issues between Pakistan andIndia are addressed promptly through a series of result-oriented parlays.
He said India is committing unprecedented atrocities in occupied Kashmirand using despotic all available state’s resources to stifle the voices ofliberation of Kashmir.
He said without solution of Kashmir durable peace is not possible soPakistan and India must resolve outstanding economic and security disputesincluding the Kashmir issue to fully exploit economic potential ofeight-member SAARC for better future and durable peace in the region.
Vice President and Regional Chairman, FPCCI Ch Arfan Yousaf said IndianPrime Minister Narendra Modi should play positive role in reviving thestalled SAARC Summit process setting aside his prejudice and politicalinsularity. “War is no solution to disputes and both the countries shouldresolve issues through dialogue,” he added. He said India escalated tensionto conceal its brutality in Jammu Kashmir and blamed Pakistan of crossbordering terrorism.
He urged the leadership of both the countries to resolve issues throughdiplomatic channels. He said that SAARC had the potential to become one ofthe major global centres of economic power. “For this to happen, South Asianeeds peace, stability and mutual cooperation,” he added.
SVP LCCI, Khawaja Khawar Rashid said Pakistan had offered dialogue to Indiafor the resolution of the Kashmir issue but the offer was always rejected,asserting that Pakistan had always been remained committed to peace andregional cooperation.
He said they would continue to work in the larger interest of the people ofthis region. However, he reiterated that to achieve durable peace in SouthAsia, settlement of the Kashmir dispute was inevitable.
He said that Pakistan has always been following a policy of maintainingcordial relations with the member countries of the SAARC forum. “We reallyhope that SAARC, which is regional organisation to move forward beyond thedifferences that India would be able to come to Pakistan for the summitbecause in the end we are neighbours,” he added.
He said he is sanguine about the future of the SAARC as countries likeNepal, Sri Lanka and the Maldives have already supported for SAARC summitin Islamabad.