Search the Internet          Tips

Pant agrees to visit Kashmir for talks

Central government interlocutor on Kashmir K C Pant Thursday described Hurriyat leader Shabir Shah's letter to him as a "step forward" to resolve the Kashmir issue, even as Saleem Geelani, spokesman of the Freedom Democratic Party insisted that any such solution had to involve Pakistan.

The letter was delivered by Shah's emissaries Geelani and Mohammed Abdul Tari.

"It is a window of opportunity and I thank Shabir Shah for the letter. It is definitely a step forward in seeking a peaceful solution of the Kashmir issue, for which we will strive," Pant said, after the letter was delivered to him.

"Yes, we are hopeful of a peaceful solution," he added.

Later, he told reporters that had would reply to the letter after reading it.

Pant said he had not received any letter from the All Party Hurriyat Conference.

On whether he would visit Kashmir, as former chief minister G M Shah had insisted, for talks with various factions, he told rediff.com, "I am thankful to G M Shah for extending me an invitation to visit Kashmir. I have accepted the invitation and will visit Kashmir as and when required."

Pant maintained that he had been meeting many people to untie the Kashmir knot and he would meet others too.

He claimed that the talks were moving in the right direction and more and more people were appraising him about ground realities in the state.

Geelani, however, pointed out that Kashmir was not an issue of peace and "it is not a law and order problem".

He said that during the last 53 years, "bi-lateralism (of the Kashmir issue) has not worked and, therefore, Pakistan should be involved in any solution of the Kashmir issue."

He also asserted that those involved by the government in talks were its supporters, and the government should involve militants, many of who had lost their lives in the struggle for the Kashmir issue.

Geelani said that they have sought clarification from the government on five counts.

* Whether the Union Government treats the problem of Jammu and Kashmir as a law and order problem and not as one related to the wishes and aspirations of the people of Kashmir.

* Bilateral talks between the Government of India and the people of Kashmir, and the Governments of India and Pakistan on the other hand for 53 years, and they have not yielded results.

* What is the government's stand on involving Pakistan as a party to the talks?

* Whom are they talking to? Those people whom they represent or those who the government does not represent?

* Make gun-wielding militants a party to the talks.

"We have sought clarification from the government on these counts and we hope that it will respond," said Geelani.

The meeting between Pant and representatives of the JKDFP did not last more than 15 minutes.

When they emerged from the meeting, they posed for photographs and answered some questions.

EARLIER REPORTS
Shabir Shah hopeful of positive outcome
JKDFP team meets Pant

The Kashmir Cease-Fire: The Complete Coverage

Back to top

Tell us what you think of this report