KL Report
SRINAGAR
Reacting to statement of Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin’s statement that there was no scope for involvement of any third party in resolving Kashmir issue, Hurriyat Conference (M) chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq Saturday termed it far from reality.
Talking to KNS Mirwaiz said, “First party is Kashmiris and we aren’t the mediators. Third party means when someone else comes. This statement (of Akbaruddin) is far from reality. Kashmiris are not the third party but the main party.”
On reports that Hurriyat Conference leaders were to attend Pakistan Day function in Delhi next week, Akbaruddin had reportedly said in New Delhi on Friday: “There was never, (and) will never be any scope for involvement of any third party.” However, rejecting his assertions, Mirwaiz said, “Kashmiris are the basic party of the dispute. India and Pakistan can’t sit together and talk about Kashmiris.”
“When we talk about Kashmir, it means Kashmir, Jammu, Ladakh, Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan. Whole region is disputed and both Pakistan and India have to take aspirations of people of the state into consideration. That time is over when some one else would take decisions at behalf of Kashmiris. Colonial approach won’t work now. Kashmiris have given lot of scarifies and they are the main stakeholders and both the countries should keep it in mind,” Mirwaiz asserted.
On Chief Minister Mufti Mohamamd Sayed’s offer of talks with separatists, he said, “What can I say on it? They (state government) say one thing and New Delhi says other.”
