Indo-Pak peace should not be held hostage by Kashmir: Bilawal Bhutto

Karachi: Pakistan's 'Gen Next' politician Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Saturday said the peace process between India and Pakistan should not be held hostage by the Kashmir issue.

Referring to his recent statements on Kashmir, Bilawal, 26, said that people in India should not misunderstand him over his remarks on Kashmir.

"Please don't misunderstand our (PPP) stance. When I talk about Kashmir it does not mean we want the peace process between the two countries to be held hostage by the Kashmir issue," Pakistan People's Party (PPP) chairperson said at his first public rally, billed as his formal political debut.

"But definitely in Bhuttoism the Kashmir issue will only be resolved according to the wishes of the Kashmiri people," Bilawal, who is being portrayed as the future Prime Minister of Pakistan, said.

Bilawal's comments came days after he vowed that Pakistan will take back entire Kashmir. He said his recent remarks on Kashmir had stirred a sharp reaction in India.

"Why because when a dictator like Musharraf speaks about Kashmir India says ISI is involved when a Mullah speaks they say terrorists are involved. But when a Bhutto speaks they know it is the voice of the people," he said.

"When I spoke about Kashmir, India spoke about Baluchistan. The Indian media launched a propaganda against me."

Bilawal also hit out at the foreign policy of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League (N) government, saying "We have a prime minister who is eager to go and attend the oath taking ceremony of (Indian Prime Minister Narendra) Modi this is our foreign policy".

"We have a prime minister who went for the UN session and came back like a cat after meeting only with Joe Biden while Narendra Modi met Obama," he said.

Bilawal, who has announced plans to contest next general elections in 2018, heads PPP which officially wants good ties with India.

His mother, former slain premier Benazir Bhutto, was twice elected as prime minister while his maternal grandfather Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, who founded the PPP in 1967, also served as prime minister in 1970s.