‘Pak Must End Militancy To Convince India On Demilitarizing Kashmir’
SRINAGAR: Terming military and militancy as the biggest hurdles in resolving the long-standing K-issue, Pakistans aspiring prime minister, Imran Khan, has told visiting Hurriyat (M) leaders that Islamabad would need to end support to militancy to convince India to demilitarise Kashmir.
We need to assure India that Pakistan will not support any kind of militant activity in Kashmir so that we can press for demilitarisation, Khan said, stressing that Kashmiris had been the worst sufferers in the 20-year-long military-militancy conflict.
He said that his first priority in foreign affairs, should he come to power in Pakistan in the upcoming elections, would be to convince India for demilitarisation.
But this is possible only when India gains confidence that there is no support to militancy and violence in Kashmir from Pakistan, reports from Islamabad quoted Khan as having told the visiting Kashmiri leaders
Maintaining that all stake-holders would have to sacrifice something to reach a consensus on resolving the issue, Khan, who heads the swiftly rising Tehreek-e-Insaaf party, also asked the Hurriyat leaders what the policy of his organisation should be with respect to Kashmir.
There is no confusion that after the war on terror, the world approach has changed, he said, but insisted that Kashmir was not a territorial problem but a rights issue.
The Tehreek-e-Insaaf chief also addressed a press conference along with Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Bilal Ghani Lone, saying that Kashmiris could not afford more losses than they had already seen.
In the military-militancy conflict Kashmiris have suffered the most, he said.
Imran Khan blamed weak Pak-India leadership for lack of big decisions on the Kashmir issue.
Leadership in Pakistan and India is not powerful which could take big decisions to resolve the longstanding issue, he said.
He said that taking the peace process forward was in the interests of Pakistan, India and Kashmir.
Speaking on this occasion, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said that the Kashmiri movement could not be suppressed by force or violence.
He said that talks should be trilateral.
Speaking to the media, the Mirwaiz said that more CBMs should be initiated so that the people of Kashmir dont feel alienated.
Why do you keep cross LoC trade and travel symbolic? You must boost trade, people to people contact and other confidence building measures so that the people of Kashmir and Pakistan come closer, the Mirwaiz said.
In reply to a question, the Hurriyat (M) chief said that India had been trying its best to muzzle the voice of Kashmiris by military might for the last 20 years but failed miserably.
Reports from Islamabad quoting sources said that the Hurriyat delegation told the Tehreek-e-Insaaf leaders that only APHC was the relevant political forum which represented the aspirations of the Kashmirs.
Urging for dialogue to be carried forward seriously, it said: We seek a permanent resolution of the dispute and there is unanimity among all sections of Kashmiris on this.
We have lost one lakh people. Our houses have been razed to rubble, and our womenfolk have gone through untold atrocities. There should be no more suffering, it said.
Talk About Kashmiris Instead of Kashmir
Pakistan Muslim League (Q) President Senator Ch Shujat Hussain has said now we should talk about the Kashmiris instead of Kashmir because it is not a matter of land or region but of the rights.
Talking to a delegation headed by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and media at his residence on Monday, he said, We would have to take immediate steps for solving the problem, as implementation of the UN Resolution could take another 50 years. He added that Kashmir solution was a must for the durable Indo-Pak friendship, and All Parties Hurriyat Conference should also be involved in the talk process.
On the occasion, partys senior central leader and Deputy Prime Minister Ch Pervaiz Elahi, Secretary General Mushahid Hussain Sayed, MNA Dr Attiya Inayatullah, Advisor to Prime Minister Syed Qasim Shah, Advisor to Azad Kashmir Prime Minister Sardar Abdul Razzaq Khan, Farrukh Khan, Fauzia Naz, Mustafa Malik, Barrister Shazia Anjum, Naeem Jauta and other leaders were also present.
Hussain said that for a lasting solution to the Kashmir issue, it was essential that the Kashmiris leadership should be fully taken into confidence and this should be according to the aspirations of the people. Mirwaiz Farooq said Pakistan Muslim League leadership was sincere to the solution of Kashmir issue.
He said that Kashmiris right of self-determination was also included in PML manifesto. PML Secretary General Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed said that path for peace in Kabul and the region passed through Kashmir since we had told the American and European leaders that not only peace in Kabul but talks should also be held for granting the right of self-determination to the Kashmiris.
Earlier US Ambassador in Pakistan Dr Richard Olson called on Shujat Hussain and Mushahid Hussain Sayed.
Meanwhile, Awami National Party (ANP) Chief Asfandyar Wali Khan who is also the NA Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs chairman also assured the APHC delegation of his partys support for peaceful solution to f the problem.
Talking to the visiting APHC delegation, the ANP president said it was the right of every nation to decide about its future and urged the UN to play its role on its resolutions on Kashmir.
Follow this link to join our WhatsApp group: Join Now
Be Part of Quality Journalism |
Quality journalism takes a lot of time, money and hard work to produce and despite all the hardships we still do it. Our reporters and editors are working overtime in Kashmir and beyond to cover what you care about, break big stories, and expose injustices that can change lives. Today more people are reading Kashmir Observer than ever, but only a handful are paying while advertising revenues are falling fast. |
| ACT NOW |
| MONTHLY | Rs 100 |  |
| YEARLY | Rs 1000 | |
| LIFETIME | Rs 10000 | |
