Pakistan human rights minister Shireen Mazari is working on a proposal for “conflict resolution” in Kashmir that will soon be presented to Prime Minister Imran Khan and the cabinet for approval.

The minister is currently working on the proposal and it is yet to be finalised, said a person in Islamabad familiar with the latest developments in the matter.

Mazari, who is considered a hardliner on India and has worked on defence and strategic issues for long, told the media on Wednesday that she is “working on a conflict resolution model for Kashmir”. She did not give details.

In a television interview earlier this week, Mazari said the draft proposal is expected to be ready by the end of next week and will then be circulated among “all the stakeholders”.

“It will first be shown to the cabinet and the prime minister. If it is approved, the matter will be taken forward,” she said.

However, it is unclear whether the proposal is being prepared at the behest of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party or is a personal initiative of Mazari. After the PTI won the general election, Mazari was tipped to become the defence minister but she did not get the portfolio, apparently due to objections from the powerful military.

Observers said the proposal could be part of efforts by Mazari to remain relevant after she was given the relatively low profile human rights portfolio. They said the proposal could contain some new confidence-building measures or humanitarian measures but it was not clear how far it would go in finding a lasting solution to the Kashmir issue.

Courtesy: The Hindustan Times: 30 Aug 2018