Resume dialogue with Pak, but bring Kashmir to centre stage: Sudheendra Kulkarni

Kulkarni said he strongly believes both India and Pakistan must take strong steps to resume bilateral dialogue

Asserting that the Indo-Pak dialogues have so far pushed Kashmir to the margins, the chairman of the Mumbai branch of the Observer Research Foundation, Sudheendra Kulkarni, said on Tuesday that both nations should bring issues of valley to the centre stage.

"Both the countries (India and Pakistan) must pledge to resume dialogue on all issues, including the Kashmir issue, but unfortunately our bilateral dialogues have kept the Kashmir issue on margins, which is helping none," Kulkarni told ANI.

"The Kashmir issue must be brought on the centre stage of bilateral dialogues between India-Pakistan," he added.

Kulkarni also said the issue of Kashmir must be solved through dialogue.

"There needs to be an innovative solution that takes care of India, Pakistan and the interests of people of Jammu and Kashmir," he added.

Backing Pakistan's former foreign minister Hina Rabbani Khar's remark that Islamabad cannot 'conquer Kashmir through war', Kulkarni said the valley's problem can't be resolved through military means.

"The only solution to this problem is dialogue with India, requires understanding with Pakistan, similarly the dialogue with Pakistan requires understanding with India," he added.

Kulkarni further said he strongly believes both India and Pakistan must take strong steps to resume bilateral dialogue.

"They must continue these dialogues in an uninterrupted manner, till some positive results are achieved," he added.

Urging both the governments of India and Pakistan to resume the talks at the earliest, Kulkarni said the absence of a bilateral dialogue is very dangerous for both the countries.