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Journalism of Courage
SRINAGAR, DECEMBER 8: The Hurriyat Conference’s stand that Pakistan should be involved in Kashmir talks is getting support from mainstream political parties, virtually across the board.
Though these parties do not necessarily subscribe to the Hurriyat’s point of view on why Pakistan should be involved, they believe that for any lasting solution Pakistan’s involvement is a must.
The most vocal in this regard is the National Conference. Its general secretary Sheikh Nazir Ahmed endorsed Syed Ali Shah Geelani’s stand sayig that ceasefire should be used for finding a lasting solution to the Kashmir issue.
“Talks should be trilateral, between the representatives of Kashmiri people,India and Pakistan. Pakistan’s involvement is a must for the permenantsolution to the issue,” he says.
M Y Tarigami, secretary of the CPI(M) state unit is a strong proponent ofpeace in Kashmir. He believes that the BJP’s reluctance not to include Pakistan in the proposed talks cannot be the final decision. “Both countries need to have a maximalist approach on the solution to the Kashmir problem,” Tarigami said.
Explaining this approach, he said that the two countries need to modify their rigid stands. “The dialogue has to be comprehensive involving the Kashmiris, India and Pakistan. Even there should be representatives from Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir, and also from Jammu and Ladakh to bring down the level of hostility in Kashmir,” he said.
Backing the CPI(M) leader, surprisingly, is vice-president of the J&K unit of the BJP, Abdul Rashid Kabuli. “Pakistan cannot be ignored. For a lasting solution, their presence in the talks is a pre-requisite,” he said.
The J&K People’s Democratic Party (J&KPDP), led by Mufti MuhammadSyed, former Union Minister, has all long supported the idea of talks between the Kashmiri separatists and the Centre with the inclusion of Pakistan. “If not in the initial stage, Pakistan should be involved in the talks at later stage because that is very important. Without their involvement, there can be lasting solution to the poblem,” said party vice president Mehbooba Mufti.
Even the J&K Congress president, Muhammad Safi Qureshi, is on record as having said that talks should be held with Pakistan for resolving the issue.Qureshi supports the idea that all political parties of Kashmir –mainstream and separatist — should first discuss the problem among themselves and later talk to the governments of India and Pakistan.
