Srinagar, July 30: The Hurriyat Conference (M) today rejected the fresh talks offer by the Home Minister saying that Hurriyat will not participate in any dialogue unless Government of India responds to the its proposals on revocation of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, release of prisoners, removing troops from cities and towns, and discussing the core issue of Kashmir.
“What is it to talk about prevailing situation? The prevailing situation shouldn’t be seen in isolation. It is all about Kashmir dispute and all the three parties have to sit and resolve it,” Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, the chairman of All Parties Hurriyat Conference (M) said.
Mirwaiz described the talks offer as a façade and said that killings and talks can’t go together. He said on one hand they (Government of India) talk about the talks and on other hand they are on a killing spree in the Valley, “killing our youth.”
 “This is unacceptable,” he said.
 He said the Government of India only remembers Kashmir when they realize the gravity of the situation here and once the “situation becomes normal” it forgets everything about the issue.
 Mirwaiz said he will be writing to the United Nations Secretary General asking him to send his representative to Kashmir to look into the violation of religious and human rights here. He said apart from massive human rights violations, the religious rights are also being denied to people of Jammu and Kashmir.
 He said unless the Government of India doesn’t improve the situation there was no chance for Hurriyat entering into talks. “And for improving the situation the Hurriyat has already forwarded its proposal for revocation of AFSPA, release of prisoners and removal of bunkers from cities and towns,” Mirwaiz said.
 The state’s main opposition Peoples Democratic Party almost echoed the similar views. PDP chief spokesman Naeem Akhtar said that before any new initiative the credibility of dialogue process should be restored. “The situation in Kashmir would demand some serious and visible confidence building measures to precede the dialogue which in any case is the only way to reach any solution,” Ahktar said.
 However, the ruling National Conference asked the Government of India to take initiatives and start the dialogue process as soon as possible. “Home Minister has stated it today but we have been saying it for the past several years,” said NC spokesman Muhammad Shafi Uri. He said the NC welcomes the statement and hopes that the Home Ministry would take the initiative without wasting any time. He said it has been long pending demand of the NC that internal dialogue must be initiated and the process must be taken to the logical conclusion.

Lastupdate on : Fri, 30 Jul 2010 21:30:00 Mecca time
Lastupdate on : Fri, 30 Jul 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sat, 31 Jul 2010 00:00:00 IST