ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday extended another olive branch to neighbouring India, stressing the need to sit together to find a peaceful solution to the Kashmir dispute, for permanent peace in the region.In his address to the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly on Monday, PM Shehbaz said the only way to maintain peace and stability in the region was to give the people of Kashmir their due rights.

He was speaking to mark Youm-i-Istehsal, observed on August 5, against India`s unilateralaction ofrevokingIndian-held Kashmir`s special status in 2019.

The prime minister said that Pakistan is a nuclear power, but had never thought of aggression with regard to its nuclear capabilities.

`Therefore the better option is to adopt the peaceful way and sit together to find out the peaceful solution to the Kashmir dispute.

The PM expressed a similar sentiment in a separate message, issued earlier in the day.

He said New Delhi`s actions five years ago were a means to `consolidate its occupation` of the disputed valley.

`Ever since, India has been trying to convince the world that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of its territory.

The PM added that international laws, historical facts, moral principles and the ground situation deny India`s `baseless claims`.

`History has proven, time and again, that durable peace in South Asia remains contingent upon the settlement of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute,` he said.

`India`s illegal actions` PM Shehbaz told AJK lawmakers that Youm-iIstehsal served as a reminder of the grave con-sequences of India`s `illegal actions` of August 5, 2019.

Ever since that day, New Delhi has been trying to silence the genuine leadership of the Kashmiri people and muzzle the media, PM Shehbaz claimed.

`The number of political prisoners remains in the thousands, while 14 political organisations have been outlawed.

The PM also lamented the harassment of innocent people, arbitrary detentions, and the so-called`cordon and search operations`, which have become a routine matter.

PM Shehbaz vowed that until Kashmiris get their rights and freedom, Pakistan would continue to extend moral support to them and knock on the doors of all the international institutions for the resolution of this dispute.

He also paid tributes to Kashmiris `who had been bearing the atrocities and cruelties of the Indian armed forces` in their`struggle for freedom`.

Atrocities in Gaza In his address, the prime minister also mentioned the atrocities committed by Israeli forces in Gaza and said the day was not far when both India and Israel will be compelled to give KashmirisandPalestinians their due rights.

He added that 40,000 Palestinians have been martyred, including thousands of children, and the toll is rising each day.