Pakistan on Monday suggested the establishment of a mechanism to involve the people of Jammu and Kashmir "at some stage" in the dialogue process to resolve the vexed issue, and said a solution that "satisfies Islamabad will satisfy Kashmiris" too.
Speaking to reporters at the end of the two-day foreign secretary-level talks between the two countries, Pakistan Foreign Office spokesman Masood Khan said: "It is their [Kashmiris'] fate
that you are deciding and they must be associated with the process. It is the most desirable thing to do."
Asked if such a mechanism was "mandatory", Khan said it is "imperative."
When pointed out that the Joint Statement issued after the talks mentioned that the Kashmir issue should be resolved to the "satisfaction of both sides," he said: "What satisfies Pakistan will ultimately satisfy the Kashmiris. That's the simple answer."
Khan said there are three parties to the dispute and "when you are resolving the issue, it would be both advisable and sagacious to consult the people of Jammu and Kashmir because they are the ones who are to decide their future political dispensation."