Srinagar, Oct 29: Describing the Centre's talks offer to Hurriyat Conference as "historical", Jammu and Kashmir People's Conference today said the separatist amalgam will have to rise to the occasion by conducting the dialogue under the concept of 'Kashmir first, Kashmiri first'. Welcoming the "possibility of initiation of a dialogue process" between the Centre and "Kashmiri leadership", PC chairman Sajjad Lone said "the invitation is truly historical and carries multi-dimensional significance."
A day-long session of the PC was held at the party headquarters on October 26 to discuss the current situation in the state including the latest talks offer from the Centre, lone said in a statement here.
He said it (talks offer) is by far the most "explicit admission" of accepting the Kashmiris as a party to the Kashmir issue as for the first time the offer of talks have come from the highest level in Indian political establishment.
It was incumbent on the Kashmiri leadership to rise to the occasion and deliver on behalf of the people of Kashmir, he said.
People's Conference would like to emphasise that success or failure of task was not important but a civilised method of conflict resolution, the process, is more important, he said.
Bureau Report