Srinagar, Jan 16: Chairman Hurriyat Conference (M), Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Wednesday said all Confidence Building Measures taken by India and Pakistan have gone waste and only way to de-escalate the tension at Line of Control is that New Delhi should announce immediate demilitarization of Kashmir.
Addressing a gathering on the Urs of Khwaja Naqshband Sahib (RA) at Khawaja Bazar here, the Hurriyat (M) chairman said Kashmiris have never supported war between India and Pakistan. “The present situation at the LoC is grave. Both nuclear powers are in a confrontation mode which is not good. War will only bring destruction,” Mirwaiz said. “We believe CBMs taken by India and Pakistan over the past eight years have gone waste. Situation has once again gone back to square one.”
He said India and Pakistan should change their mindset. “Hurriyat will never support war between the two nations. We believe the only way to douse the flames at the LoC is that New Delhi should announce immediate demilitarization of Kashmir. Once that happens, guns will automatically fall silent at LoC,” the Mirwaiz said.
He appealed to the United Nations and international community to persuade India for troop withdrawal from Kashmir so that peace prevails between India and Pakistan. “Once troops go back to the barracks, atmosphere would become conducive for talks. And once dialogue begins, Kashmir will move towards resolution,” he said. “The solution has to be acceptable to the people of Jammu and Kashmir who are the real stakeholders.”
He said if war takes place between India and Pakistan, no power on earth can stop the destruction. “Imagine nuclear powers fighting a war. Everything including Kashmir would turn into rubble. We hope better sense prevails between the two countries,” he said.
He said the LoC firing was not because of Siachen, trade or China angle. “Kashmir issue is the root cause of the problem,” the Mirwaiz said. He said the problem of Kashmir is serious in nature. “Entire India cried over the killing of two soldiers and its media hyped it in whatever way possible. Indian media played a jingoistic role. I want to ask New Delhi, couldn’t they see 150,000 killings in Kashmir since 1990,” the Hurriyat (M) chairman questioned.
He said when Kashmiris get killed by forces, New Delhi maintains silence. “It was surprising to see even civil society members and intellectuals making venomous comments over the killing of two Indian soldiers. We want to ask them why they prefer to remain silent when Kashmiris are butchered.”
He advised New Delhi to “catch the bull by its horns” and to work towards settlement of Kashmir issue instead of entering into confrontation with Pakistan. On the occasion, Mirwaiz prayed for early Kashmir resolution.

Lastupdate on : Wed, 16 Jan 2013 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Wed, 16 Jan 2013 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Thu, 17 Jan 2013 00:00:00 IST