KL NEWS NETWORK
SRINAGAR
Terming the resumption of dialogue process between New Delhi and Islamabad as a “hope generating step”, All Parties Hurriyat Conference (m) Chairperson, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq Friday expressed hope that the arrival of the New Year 2016 would foster an atmosphere of better relations and positive understanding between India and Pakistan which will lead to the resolution of all pending issues including the vexed issue of Jammu and Kashmir.
Addressing Friday congregational prayers at the historic Jamia Masjid in Srinagar, Mirwaiz said, “the two nuclear neighbours have no other option but to find a long-lasting solution to Kashmir issue and expressed hope that the two countries understand the fact that it was due to this issue and not Siachen, Sir Creek, or trade and travel, that had kept peace in entire South Asia hostage for the past seven decades and led to three wars and killings of innumerable human beings.”
Expressing hope that the two countries should now take steps to prioritize the resolution of the vexed Kashmir issue, he said, “there was no military solution to this issue because had it been so the issue would have not remained unresolved since 1947. It has been recognized by the International community as well that negotiations provide the best way of resolving issues and Kashmir issue should also be addressed and resolved through dialogue.”
“If both the countries wish to have a new beginning of peace and stability based on the spirit of mutual understanding and respect, then it should start from Kashmir. The growing cordiality between the two countries can reflect on the ground in Kashmir only when black laws like AFSPA and PSA are withdrawn, all the pro-freedom political prisoners are freed from the jails, there is an end to curbs and restrictions on the peaceful political, social and religious activities of Hurriyat leadership, right to assemble and protest of the people is respected and terror groups with the nomenclature VDCs which are there to terrorize people of a particular outlook are disbanded.”
He said the conglomerate hopes that starting from Kashmir, the two countries can create an air of peace and amity in the region and takes serious steps for carrying forward dialogue process and added that the Hurriyat amalgam would extend its support to any such move and would acts as a bridge to bring the two countries nearer.
In his address while elaborating on the abuse of Human Rights in Kashmir, Mirwaiz said that the Human Rights Division of the APHC has made public a detailed report on human rights violations including killings, illegal use of pepper gas, pellets and other non-lethal weapons, their major effects on human lives and environment that occurred in Jammu Kashmir during 2015, he said this report could serve as an eye-opener on the situation of human rights in Kashmir for the international community.
Paying rich tributes to the two youth killed in a gunfight on Wednesday in Pulwama, Mirwaiz said, “now when the third generation of Kashmiris has got connected with the on-going freedom struggle, time has come to take serious steps for the resolution of Kashmir issue as per the wishes and aspirations of Kashmiri.”
Condemning slapping of yet another PSA on All Parties Hurriyat Conference (g) Secretary General (III) Masarat Alam Bhat, he said such tactics were used to cow down Kashmiri people, which had proved futile in the past and would yield no results in future as well.
