Indo-Pak meeting receives mixed reaction in Kashmir

India and Pakistan's decision to carry on with the dialogue process drew mixed response in Kashmir.

India and Pakistan’s decision to carry on with the dialogue process drew mixed response in Kashmir with mainstream parties welcoming it and separatists insisting that the Sharm-el-Sheikh meeting was inconclusive without the participation of Kashmiris.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah welcomed the outcome of the meeting between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Pakistani counterpart Yousuf Raza Gilani on the sidelines of NAM summit in Egypt and said that dialogue is the only way forward to improve ties between the two neighbours.

“The cordial meeting between the two Prime Ministers has become historical as both the countries have agreed to delink terrorism from Indo-Pak dialogue,” Omar said in a statement.

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Asserting that the agreement to discuss all outstanding issues between the two nations is a positive understanding,Omar said the past is witness to the fact that stray incidents of terror had delayed composite dialogue as had happened after the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.

Jailed leader of the hardline faction of Hurriyat Conference Syed Ali Shah Geelani,however said that “the meeting between the prime ministers of India and Pakistan would be inconclusive without the participation of Kashmiris”.

Yesterday’s meeting at Sharm-el-Sheikh recognised that “dialogue is the only way forward” and said “action on terrorism should not be linked to the composite dialogue process…”.

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