Indian Govt. applying double standards on Kashmir, says Mirwaiz

Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, the chairman of moderate faction of Hurriyat Conference, on Saturday accused the NDA Government of applying double standards on the issue of Jammu and Kashmir, saying that it has placed conditions for taking the dialogue forward with Pakistan.

"It is pretty clear that the Government of India has laid conditions for the dialogue to be taken forward and it seems, more or less, talks won't happen," said Mirwaiz.

"There are clearly double standards as far as the approach of the Indian Government on the issue of Jammu and Kashmir is concerned. Actually the Hurriyat is concerned," he added.

Earlier, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj asked Pakistan's NSA Sartaj Aziz not to make Hurriyat a third party in the NSA-level talks between India and Pakistan.

"As per the Simla Agreement, signed between India and Pakistan, whenever a dialogue will take place between the two nations, only India and Pakistan will be present," said Swaraj

"Keeping the Simla Agreement's spirit in mind, I am asking you Sartaj Aziz to not to make Hurriyat or any other person a third party. Keeping the Ufa agreement's spirit in mind, don't take the topic beyond terrorism," she added.