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Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf said here Thursday evening that the ongoing ceasefire between Pakistan and India is the start of the peace process and not the end of it.
The president made the above remarks while talking to a United States Congressional delegation including former First Lady Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, a report of the Associated Press of Pakistan said Friday.
Musharraf said the ceasefire should lead to a dialogue between the two countries, in a bid to resolve all outstanding issues, including the core issue of Kashmir.
India and Pakistan, the two neighbors in South Asia, have fought three wars, two of which were over the Kashmir dispute. Forces from both sides had been exchanging sporadic fire in the region, causing huge military and civilian casualties.
Pakistani Prime Minister Jamali offered an unilateral ceasefirealong the Line of Control (LoC), which divides the Kashmir region,on Nov. 23. India welcomed the move and reciprocated by agreeing to a ceasefire, which is widely seen as a significant step for theregional peace process.
Earlier on Thursday Pakistani Foreign Office confirmed that theceasefire is holding on.
(Xinhua News Agency November 29, 2003)
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