Srinagar: Hurriyat Conference on Friday voiced
its dismay at India and Pakistan not making much headway at
the talks between their foreign ministers, saying the outcome
has left people in the Kashmir valley "disappointed."
It was "sad" that both the countries were caught in
"jugglery of words and political jargon", Hurriyat Chairman
Mirwaiz Umer Farooq told agency here.
The separatist amalgam also advocated that policy makers
in New Delhi should listen to its own Army Chief General V K
Singh, who has said that Kashmir was a political issue and
needed to be resolved politically.
"Hurriyat`s point of view is that unless and until both
countries -- India and Pakistan -- come close to each other,
the prospects of Kashmir issue being resolved are less,"
Farooq said.
"...the sad part is that we are still caught in jugglery
of words and political jargons and there does not seem to be
any sincerity on resolving the issue. We maintain that the
core issue between the two countries is Kashmir. Yes, there
are other issues which are also important but we have
maintained that an India, Pakistan dialogue can only be in
the right direction if we see some changes on the ground..."
Farooq said Hurriyat was very disappointed that no
headway has been made though some contact is there (between
the two countries).
"But I guess this(contact) is not enough specially in a
situation like this when people of Kashmir are going through
very critical times. There was a hope that some political
initiative between India and Pakistan would generate some
interests among people of Kashmir but people of Kashmir are
very disappointed that nothing has come out from the talks
apart from rhetoric," he said.
He said unless and until there is a proper mechanism,
there is a realisation that "we need to address issues
politically, amicably and peacefully and I think if this is
not the thinking then we are back to square one."
The Mirwaiz referred to the statement of Army Chief Gen
Singh`s statement and said "their own army chief is saying
that what can the Army do, its a political problem and needs a
political solution."
In reply to a question whether the time was right
for Hurriyat to jump in and act as a bridge between India and
Pakistan, he said "No. I don`t think this is the right time
for Hurriyat to jump into. Right now India and Pakistan are
also not in a position to move ahead. There does not seem to
be any direction, there does not seem to be any mechanism of
how to move forward.
"We were hoping that India and Pakistan will take it
forward and at an appropriate time...but the way in which this
meeting has gone, accusation and counter-accusation, I think
it is sad. I think rather than accommodating each other`s
view, I see hardening of stands," he said.
PTI
