Srinagar: Opposition party in Kashmir National Conference today called for consistent talks at highest level between India and Pakistan to resolve the Kashmir issue.

"Kashmir issue cannot be resolved through talks at the foreign secretary level, it needs a political solution, which can be achieved through consistent talks at highest level", National Conference patron and former chief minister Farooq Abdullah told reporters here.

Referring to recent statement by Pakistan People s Party leader Asif Ali Zardari on the Kashmir issue, Abdullah said while he welcomes Zardari's remarks for better relations between the two countries, he deemed it fit to impress upon for continuous talks to resolve the Kashmir issue.

Zardari, in a TV interview had said that India and Pakistan should not be held hostage to the Kashmir issue and both the countries could wait for future generations to resolve it in a mature manner.

However, Abdullah asserted that the two countries have to resolve the Kashmir issue and it cannot be kept in cold storage as people cannot agree on that.

The NC leader blamed the Indian government for delaying a resolution on Kashmir issue while President Pervez Musharraf was in the command of the situation in Pakistan.

He appealed to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Leader of Opposition Lok Sabha L K Advani and Pakistani leader Asif Ali Zardari to demolish the walls of suspicion and hatred.

Abdullah also said that while new government in Pakistan will have many problems to address in their own country, they should also pay attention to Kashmir problem.
Source : PTI