LAHORE, April 17: The National Assembly’s Kashmir Committee has called upon the government to keep in mind water conflict with India while resolving the Kashmir dispute.

A meeting of the parliamentary body held at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat here on Tuesday demanded that the government “should not ignore the water issue in the process of Kashmir solution.”

It is the first meeting of the panel outside the federal capital as its chairman, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, says more such meetings will be held in other provinces so that “participation of all federating units can be ensured in the solution to the issue.”

A declaration issued after the meeting, which was also attended by Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, supported the dialogue process between Islamabad and New Delhi but stressed that the process “should not leave a negative impact on Pakistan’s economy” and Kashmiris should also be taken into confidence.

The declaration reiterated that Pakistan would continue to support the ‘just cause’ of Kashmiris of self-determination and condemned oppressive Indian laws in the occupied Kashmir.

Speaking at a joint press conference after the meeting, Shahbaz Sharif said that during the inaugural ceremony of integrated check post at Attari recently, he had made it clear to the Indian government that the region might face disastrous consequences if Kashmir and water issues were not settled in a just manner.

He said prosperity could only be achieved in the region if India and Pakistan live peacefully otherwise commerce and trade would not help in the solution to problems.

Maulana Fazl said there was a complete consensus that only a strong and stable Pakistan could help Kashmiri people and any internal unrest and economic instability could cause them disappointment.

He said Pakistan had been entangled on its western frontiers during the last one decade due to which Kashmir issue was put on the backburner.

He urged the world community to take notice of Indian atrocities against innocent Kashmiris and exert pressure on India to withdraw its forces from the occupied Kashmir. He said all draconian Indian laws should also be abolished so that Kashmiris could feel relief.

He said India was blocking Pakistan’s share of water through illegal construction of dams on rivers, which might cause an agricultural and industrial crisis here in future.

He said: “We support dialogue for resolving disputes between India and Pakistan, however, the issue of water should not be ignored.”

Similarly, Kashmiri leadership should also be taken into confidence regarding this process.

Earlier, Shahbaz Sharif told the meeting that silence of the world community over Kashmir issue was a big challenge. He said West Germany through its economic progress and judicious policies pulled down Berlin Wall and brought about the merger of its eastern portion without fighting a war, calling for adopting the same model for Kashmir.

He said Kashmir issue should be included in the textbooks for promoting awareness in the young generation about this problem.

The chief minister lamented the fact that at a time when officers and jawans of Pak Army were buried under avalanche in Siachen, some elements were engaged in a futile debate over maintaining military presence at the mountain peak.