Make JK bridge to improve relations: Mirwaiz to Indo-Pak

Srinagar, Jan 29: Asking New Delhi to shun “aggressive approach”, Hurriyat (M) chaiman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq Wednesday appealed India and Pakistan to make Jammu and Kashmir a bridge of friendship between them.

“Government of India has adopted a rigid approach in JK. People are being harassed by CASO, arrests, putting Kashmiris outside jails, blasting of houses, killings of youth, which is pushing Kashmiri youth to pick up the guns,” Mirwaiz said at a press conference here, where he announced the renaming of Bilal Gani Lone party as ‘Jammu Kashmir People’s Independent Movement.

He said that New Delhi can’t “suppress” the sentiments and aspirations of Kashmir by its aggressive approach. “There is growing anger among youth and Government of India’s policies are responsible for deteriorating situation in Jammu and Kashmir,” Mirwaiz said.

Hurriyat (M) chairman said that former Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee accepted the disputed nature of JK and initiated dialogue with Pakistan and Kashmiri leadership. “Kashmir issue has to be resolved not within the Indian constitution but within Insaniyat. During his tenure, talks were held with Pakistan and Hurriyat went to Delhi for the dialogue. Now dialogue has become a word and people have lost trust in it,” Mirwaiz said.

Commenting on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to JK, he said, “If he (Narendra Modi) announce any political initiative then Hurriyat leadership will think over it and respond accordingly.”

He said that Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi called him on Tuesday to brief him on “the efforts of the government of Pakistan to highlight human rights violations” in Jammu and Kashmir.“He told me that Pakistan was concerned about deteriorating situation in Kashmir. He told that Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan tried his best to reach out to government of India but there has been negative response from New Delhi.

Pakistan Foreign Minister also told me that dialogue may be started after the elections are over in India and Pakistan will observe Kashmir Day on February 5 as a mark of protest against New Delhi’s reluctance to solve the dispute,” he said. “What his call to me pinches New Delhi?” he questioned.

He was reacting to Indian media reports that “such an attempt by Pakistan Foreign Minister is a regressive step and is contrary to the overall perception which Pakistan leadership is trying to create. It reflects duplicity in Pakistan leadership’s approach”.

He said that Kashmir issue is political and has to be resolved politically. “India, Pakistan, and Kashmiris have to sit together and find a peaceful solution to this dispute. Kashmir issue is not about building of roads, bridges or power but about sentiments and aspirations of Kashmiris,” he said, while welcoming the recent UN report on human rights violations in Kashmir. “There has to be end of black laws, harassment. The BJP led government has adopted military power and legal ways to change the discourse of Kashmir dispute,” he claimed.

He said it was also a challenge for the Kashmiri leadership to make Indian people understand about “disputed” nature of the state.

Bilal Lone renames party to ‘Peoples Independent Movement’

Srinagar, Jan 30: Senior Hurriyat leader Bilal Gani Lone Wednesday said that he would carry forward the legacy of his father for right to self-determination to Kashmir and renaming his party was to avoid confusion.

“I have been very close to my father and renaming party is just to avoid confusion in taking forward my father’s legacy. Our stand is that Kashmir issue has to be solved by Pakistan, India, and Kashmiris,” he said, who on Wednesday changed the name of his Peoples Conference to Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Independent Movement. “Give me any suggestions if you have any. We don’t need a certificate from anybody,” he asked his workers.

His brother Sajad Gani Lone also led the Peoples Conference and has entered into electoral politics. Sajad has also been the minister in the PDP-BJP government.