ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Tuesday `regretted' the `evasive response' of India to the ideas of `demilitarisation and self-governance' on both sides of Kashmir.

``It would be regrettable if the Indian side chooses to be evasive in responding to these ideas which must be considered with an open mind in the interest of finding a solution of the Kashmir dispute and durable peace in the region,'' the Pakistan Foreign Office said in a statement.

It said the dispute needed to be addressed with `sincerity, flexibility and courage' by both sides and "Pakistan is committed to promotion of a solution that meets the `aspirations' of the Kashmiri people."

The statement was in response to the comments of the External Affairs Ministry spokesman on Monday that Pakistan Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz did not give any proposal to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in Dhaka on the sidelines of the recent SAARC Summit.

Pakistan maintained that ideas of demilitarisation and self-governance remained relevant towards the resolution of the Kashmir dispute. The ideas had been supported by All Parties Hurriyat Conference Chairman Mirwaiz Umer Farooq and other Kashmiri leaders.

The statement said `repetition' of reference to Gilgit and Baltistan by India was uncalled for. ``We had stated earlier that the fundamental issue remains the systematic and large-scale human rights violations of the Kashmiri people by the Indian occupation forces.''

Howard supports dialogue

In a related development, visiting Australian Prime Minister John Howard said his country supported Pakistan-India dialogue and appreciated negotiations being held to resolve the Kashmir issue.

Addressing a joint news conference with Shaukat Aziz, Mr. Howard appreciated Pakistan's role in the war on terrorism and said it had made important contributions to curb terrorism. He said he came here to condole with the Pakistani people and the Government the death of thousands in the recent earthquake. Mr. Aziz said Pakistan was a peace loving country and against all types of terrorism. It supported settlement of all issues through negotiations. Pakistan believed that Australia should play a major role in resolving international disputes as it was active in the field of diplomacy, economy and peace keeping the world over.

Talks with Musharraf

Pakistan President Gen. Pervez Musharraf and Mr. Howard held wide-ranging talks on major international issues and bilateral relations. Both sides signed four agreements to promote cooperation in agriculture, scholarship award programme, gas sale and purchase agreement between Sui Southern Gas and Australian Company and an award of copper extraction licence between the Government of Balochistan and an Australian company.

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