New Delhi: Emphasising that India and Pakistan should go beyond static positions on Kashmir issue, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz today (Nov 24, 2004) advocated "out of the box" approach to resolve the protracted problem.

At a breakfast meeting with editors, Aziz contended that the composite dialogue process should be in tandem with tangible progress on Kashmir.

Spotlight: Kashmir is NOT negotiable

Both sides should move forward for finding a lasting solution to the 57-year-old issue, he said while stressing that people of Kashmir should be involved in the process.

Favouring out-of-the-box proposals on Kashmir, Aziz said President Pervez Musharraf's recent suggestion was aimed at stirring up an internal debate in Pakistan.

At an Iftar party, Musharraf had suggested that India and Pakistan should identify some regions of Kashmir on both sides of the Line of Control (LoC), demilitarise them and put them under joint control or UN mandate or grant them independence.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had asserted that there was no question of redrawing the international borders or further dividing the country on the basis of religion.

Musharraf had termed Singh's response as not very encouraging and asked New Delhi to show more flexibility.

Replying to questions, Aziz also made it clear that Pakistan granting Most Favoured Nation status to India was linked to a solution on Kashmir and could not be considered in isolation.

Aziz said that while a debate was going on in Pakistan on the Kashmir issue, India should also encourage a similar discussion.

On the issue of supplying of natural gas from Iran to India through a pipeline crossing Pakistan, Aziz said it would be a win-win situation for both the countries.

He also said that there were international mechanisms to provide guarantees with regard to the operation of such a pipeline.