Hurriyat, militants also to be involved in dialogue to end bloodshed, says Track II diplomat

By Mudassir Kuloo

Srinagar, May 08: Noted political analyst and Track II diplomat O P Shah on Tuesday said that dialogue with all stakeholders including Hurriyat and militant groups would end bloodshed in Kashmir.

“Everyone should come forward for the dialogue to end killings. Dialogue is the essence of democracy and to save human lives,” Shah told The Kashmir Monitor in a telephonic interview.

He said government should also hold talks with Hurriyat and militant groups.

“Dialogue shall be held with everybody to end killings in Kashmir.”

Shah, last week, met Hurriyat leaders including Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Professor Abdul Gani Bhat and mainstream leaders Farooq Abdullah and M Y Tarigami after his return from Pakistan, where he met civil society members and politicians.

Shah, who is chairman of the Centre for Peace and Progress, said that India and Pakistan should hold talks for betterment of their relationships. “People from both the countries shall also hold regular meetings,” he said.

Calling the present situation in Kashmir “unfortunate”, he said: “The entire country is worried about the developments taking place in Srinagar. We are concerned about it and want the situation to improve.”

“Everyone should come forward for the dialogue. No one should hold it as a point of prestige since it is a human issue and lives need to be saved.  We should make efforts to ensure that no more people die,” he suggested

Asked why reports of various groups on Kashmir have not been implemented by government of India, he said: “The centre should consider them and implement as much as feasible and desirable. We too meet people here and convey to the government. We are not part of government but we make it aware about the ground situation.”

Stating that educated youth joining militant ranks was “alarming”, he said: “Violence only complicates the problem.  We should discourage young people to pick up guns. Gun culture has to be discouraged and is not in the interest of Kashmir.”