Srinagar: Parliament attack case convict
Afzal Guru should not be executed as such a move has the
potential to derail the Indo-Pak peace process, a senior
politician of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) on Wednesday said.
"Afzal Guru should not be hanged. It can lead to
deterioration in the situation," so-called former Prime
Minister of PoK Sultan Mehmood Chaudhury told reporters before
winding up his three-day visit to Kashmir.
He said India should not take any step that leads to
tension in the region.
Chaudhury, who was here to attend the wedding of the son
of his industrialist friend, said New Delhi and Islamabad
should take steps that will lead to reconciliation and create
an atmosphere conducive for resolution of Kashmir issue.
"The Kashmiri leadership on both sides should be allowed
to meet through intra-Kashmir conferences. To begin with, the
travel across Line of Control should be made hassle free and
the permit system abolished," he said.
Chaudhary, who became the highest ranking PoK official --
serving or retired -- to visit Kashmir since 1947, said while
it might take time to completely abolish the permit system,
the two countries can agree to grant permits to Kashmiris on
either side on arrival at LoC.
Welcoming the Indo-Pak dialogue process, he said, "We
have no objection to India-Pakistan friendship but if the
dialogue process has to be successful and result-oriented, the
Kashmiri leadership has to be included in it".
Chaudhary said Kashmir is the "core issue" between India
and Pakistan while other outstanding issue were mere
"irritants" which will fall in place once the resolution to
Kashmir issue reached at.
He said he met the entire leadership of Kashmir during
his short stay and was "taking a positive message back home".
Asked if he recognised mainstream politicians like Chief
Minister Omar Abdullah as elected representatives of the
people of Kashmir, Chaudhary replied: "To that my short answer
will be no".
The PoK leader also said the strife in Afghanistan
cannot end and regional peace shall remain elusive unless
Kashmir issue is resolved.
PTI
First Published: Wednesday, September 21, 2011, 13:33