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Islamic fundamentalist party supports peace with India
Karachi, June 25: Pakistan`s main fundamentalist Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) Party -- apparently shedding its hardline policy towards India -- today said it supported peace initiatives between the two countries.
Karachi, June 25: Pakistan's main fundamentalist Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) Party -- apparently shedding its hardline policy towards India -- today said it supported peace initiatives between the two countries.
The party's top leadership hosted a grand reception to welcome an Indian parliamentary delegation here late yesterday.
"We welcome them in Pakistan. We want friendship with India and we are in favour of meaningful dialogue to resolve all issues including Kashmir," JI deputy chief Ghafoor Ahmed told a news agency today. He agreed that the reception overnight was the first by his party for any visiting Indian team involving "people-to-people contact."
A six-member delegation of Indian parliamentarians led by independent MP Kuldip Nayyar arrived in Pakistan last week to promote a peace process launched by the two countries.
The JI's reception was seen by many here as a U-turn in its opposition to India. The Jamaat activists launched a violent demonstration in 1999 when Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee visited the eastern Pakistani city of Lahore by bus. Ahmed, however, dispelled the impression that the party had changed its policy towards India. "We had been in favour of dialogue in 1999 also. At that time we only asked Vajpayee to recognise Kashmir as the core issue between the two countries," he said.
The Indian delegation was visibly impressed by the gesture. "If parties like Jamaat-i-Islami can hold a reception for us, it clearly indicates that the peace initiative is moving in the right direction," Indian MP Shahid Siddiqui said.
Bureau Report
"We welcome them in Pakistan. We want friendship with India and we are in favour of meaningful dialogue to resolve all issues including Kashmir," JI deputy chief Ghafoor Ahmed told a news agency today. He agreed that the reception overnight was the first by his party for any visiting Indian team involving "people-to-people contact."
A six-member delegation of Indian parliamentarians led by independent MP Kuldip Nayyar arrived in Pakistan last week to promote a peace process launched by the two countries.
The JI's reception was seen by many here as a U-turn in its opposition to India. The Jamaat activists launched a violent demonstration in 1999 when Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee visited the eastern Pakistani city of Lahore by bus. Ahmed, however, dispelled the impression that the party had changed its policy towards India. "We had been in favour of dialogue in 1999 also. At that time we only asked Vajpayee to recognise Kashmir as the core issue between the two countries," he said.
The Indian delegation was visibly impressed by the gesture. "If parties like Jamaat-i-Islami can hold a reception for us, it clearly indicates that the peace initiative is moving in the right direction," Indian MP Shahid Siddiqui said.
Bureau Report