NEW DELHI, Jan. 27 (UPI) -- India called Friday for a political resolution to the disputed region of Kashmir saying Islamabad and New Delhi should not seek a military solution.
"If demilitarization of Pakistan occupied Kashmir had taken place in 1949 as per the U.N. resolution, the people could have exercised their will at that time," said S. K. Sinha, governor of the disputed Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir.
He said vested interests prevented demilitarization from happening in the past, resulting in the Kashmir issue continuing to simmer with repeated aggressions launched by neighboring Pakistan.
Sinha said there could not be a military solution to Kashmir issue.
"We have to work out a political solution, which will be a win-win situation for all--India, Pakistan and the people of Kashmir and Kashmir centric, giving due consideration to the aspirations of the people of all the three regions of the state," the governor said.
He said there is no harm in considering out of box solutions, but these must not be flights of fancy unrelated to ground realities.
"There can obviously be no demilitarization without de-terrorization," Sinha said referring to Pakistan President Gen Pervez Musharraf's proposals to resolve Kashmir issue.
Sinha said Jammu and Kashmir enjoys greater autonomy than any other state.
"Both economically and politically we are better off than any other state," he said responding to Musharraf's self-rule proposal.
The Governor welcomed the opening up of Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road and proposed the opening of Poonch-Rawalkot road.
