Saturday, August 27 2005 14:52 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Islamabad: Ahead of the meeting between President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Pakistan has assured PoK leaders that it would not change its stance on the Kashmir issue.

The Kashmir issue cannot be ignored for a longer period of time and it would be the focal point on the agenda of the meeting between Musharraf and Singh in New York next month on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz told Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) Premier Sikandar Hayat Khan, who called on him in Islamabad yesterday (Aug 26, 2005).

Pakistan would neither withdraw from its principled stance on Kashmir nor give up its political, diplomatic and moral support to the Kashmiris, Aziz said, adding the issue would be resolved 'according to their wishes.'

He said Pakistan was carrying forward the process of confidence building measures in the ongoing dialogue with India but stressed for including Kashmiris in the process as they were the 'main party' to the issue.

He told Hayat that Pakistan was giving special attention to the development work in PoK, especially in education, health and infrastructure.