Mirwaiz urges for India, Pak dialogue on Kashmir

Moderate Hurriyat Chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq today asked India and Pakistan to start a fresh composite dialogue process to resolve all outstanding issues including Kashmir.
"Let bygones be bygones, start a new process and make Kashmiris part of that. And see how we will move forward towards the resolution (of Kashmir issue)," the Mirwaiz said addressing a Friday congregation at Jamia Masjid here.
"We are ready to support any process provided there are sincere efforts," Mirwaiz said adding "Hurriyat wants to act as a bridge of friendship between India and Pakistan."
He said when the two countries talk of dialogue and try to come closer, such a situation arises that forces them to go two steps backward instead of moving ahead.

Describing Kashmir as a political issue which needs a political solution, Mirwaiz said the Centre should take concrete steps instead of cosmetic measures to seek a solution to Kashmir issue.
"Address the root cause of the problem and not its symptoms. Kashmir is not an administrative issue but a political one," he said.

He also alleged that both the centre and the state governments were "non-serious" in addressing Kashmir issue.
"There are vested interests who do not want the resolution of Kashmir issue... The army does not want to go back from the Valley as they have developed vested interests here," he alleged.

Referring to the twin terror attacks in the Jammu region and killing of infiltrators in Kupwara yesterday, the Hurriyat Chairman said "whenever there is a loss of life, we are equally grieved."
"Human life is very precious and as Kashmiris we can feel the pain as we have lost numerous souls over the past three decades," he said flaying political parties for their "double standards" in condemning incidents of violence.
"We expect Indian political parties and people to express grief over the loss of innocent Kashmiri lives as well," he said.