India-Pakistan composite dialogue an eyewash: Separatist leader

Senior separatist leader Muhammad Yasin Malik on Thursday said the proposed resumption of a composite bilateral dialogue between India and Pakistan was an "eyewash" and that the people of Kashmir had rejected it.

"Kashmiris reject this dialogue process, which is nothing but an eyewash. India and Pakistan will have to introspect on their respective stands (on Kashmir)," he said.

He said Kashmiris won't accept any solution to the Kashmir issue without their involvement.

"We are not against the dialogue but isn't it ironic that our political fate will be discussed (between India and Pakistan) and we as the prime stakeholders are not part of the whole process," the Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chairman said during his 36-hour hunger strike here.

"We are not a flock of sheep... it is an insult that our issue is being discussed without our involvement and we get to hear about it in newspapers and television announcements," he added.

The pro-independence JKLF chief said Kashmiris would not accept any "imposed solution".

He criticised National Conference patron Farooq Abdullah for advocating a status quo on Kashmir and ruling Peoples Democratic Party leader Mehbooba Mufti for "preferring Delhi's interest in Kashmir".

Malik is sitting on a 36-hour hunger strike against alleged human rights violations in the valley to coincide with the International Human Rights Day (December 10).

Many separatist and human rights organisations on Thursday protested in Srinagar against alleged human rights abuses in Kashmir.