A day ahead of crucial Indo-Pak talks on the Kashmir issue, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Thursday described Kashmir as the ‘jugular vein of Pakistan’ and assured the Kashmiri people of his complete political, diplomatic and moral support.
Gilani made the remarks while addressing a public gathering at Palandri in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
The ruling Pakistan People’s Party and the Kashmir issue have a deep relationship, the premier said.
The Foreign Secretaries of India and Pakistan, who began two-day talks here on Thursday, are scheduled to discuss the Kashmir issue on Friday.
Their talks today focused on peace and security issues, including terrorism and the trial of Pakistani suspects linked to the 2008 Mumbai attacks.
Gilani said the PPP would ‘continue to internationalise the Kashmir issue’ and apprise the world about alleged human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir.
Pakistan will also seek the world community's help in the resolution of the Kashmir issue, which he described as the ‘jugular vein’ of the country.
"We would like to apprise the world that the people of Pakistan stand by their Kashmiri brethren and support their cause," he said.
Gilani, who has been campaigning for his party ahead of polls to the assembly in PoK, has repeatedly stressed his government’s political and diplomatic support for the Kashmiri people in the past few days.