MUZAFFARABAD, May 13: Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) leader Yasin Malik said on Sunday that his party was not opposed to bilateral trade between India and Pakistan, but urged the two countries to find a permanent solution to the Kashmir issue in accordance with the wishes of the Kashmiri people.

“We are not averse to trade between India and Pakistan. Nor are we opposed to resumption of relations between them.

Rather we want their relations to remain normal at all times. But how can there be peace when four generations of a nation have suffered during their struggle for a lasting solution to the (Kashmir) issue,” he said at a public meeting here.

“For peace you need a solid base and that solid base is provided by settlement of all contentious issues so that all three parties can build a glorious future for themselves,” Mr Malik said.

He warned that trade and resumption of cooperation in other sectors would not bring peace if resolution of disputes was ignored.

“The way India and Pakistan are progressing on other matters, they should also find solution to the Kashmir issue on the priority basis in consultation with the Kashmiri leadership of both sides,” he suggested.

The JKLF leader pointed out that Kashmiris had once again given a chance to peace and now it was India’s turn to reciprocate and take steps for settlement of this long-standing dispute.

He said the ‘fake dividing line’ in Kashmir would be abolished one day much the same way as the Berlin Wall had vanished.

Bashir Lone, Mir Afzaal Suleria, Khwaja Saifuddin, Tauqeer Gilani, Tausif Ahmed, Sajid Siddique and Mrs Taqdees Gilani also spoke.