Hurriyat Conference Forms Committee on return of KPs
Srinagar: Hurriyat Conference headed by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Thursday said that if those in power claim that the situation has “greatly improved,” then why “extreme and unprecedented measures” like curbs on Srinagar-Jammu highway are being used “that were never used during the last three decades of conflict.”
A spokesman said that a meeting of amalgam’s senior leaders chaired by the chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq was held at Hurriyat headquarters at Rajbagh here. Besides others, the members of the Hurriyat Executive Prof Abdul Gani Bhat, Mr. Bilal Gani Lone, Moulana Masroor Abbas Ansari, Musadiq Adil, and Mukhtar Ahmad Waza attended the meeting.
Condemning the government decision of imposing restrictions on the movement of civilian traffic including tourist vehicles on the Jammu-Srinagar highway and suspension of train services during Amarnath Yatra, the Hurriyat Conference said that the Yatris have always been welcomed by the people of Kashmir who have always facilitated its smooth conduct and lend support to it.
“However time and again Kashmiri’s are subject to harassment and inconvenience as the highway is shut down for them on one pretext or other,” the spokesman said.
He said that if those in power claim that the situation has greatly “improved,” then why are such extreme and unprecedented measures being used that were never used during the last three decades of conflict?
‘Such diktats besides causing great inconvenience to common people greatly impact the trade and tourism industry especially those dealing in perishable items like fresh fruit and vegetables.” The amalgam said those in power should immediately withdraw this “anti-people” diktat.
Commenting on the Indian home minister’s statement in the parliament where he said that when J&K got divided between India and Pakistan Pandith Nehru took it to the UN and made promises before the world.
“As PM of India, Pt Nehru represented government of India when he took it to the UN. So it is a political and humanitarian issue since, and the people of Kashmir and Hurriyat as their representative are only demanding the resolution of this issue peacefully for all times.”
Locking up Kashmiri’s including senior Hurriyat members in jails and detention centers and propagating threats, intimidation and maligning campaigns against them will neither solve the issue nor finish it off, he said.
“No doubt, India is a strong military power and rulers in New Delhi have all the power to do as they please. While this being a fact, it is also a fact that we will keep pursuing to seek a peaceful resolution of the issue as per the democratic principle of respecting people’s sentiments and promises.”
He said the best means of addressing the problem, “we believe is through engagement dialogue and deliberation which we have always advocated and participated in.”
The spokesman said that Hurriyat Conference as an amalgam came into existence as a vehicle of people’s sentiment, seeking a peaceful resolution of the issue as per international principles of humanity and justice.
“So we are a pro-resolution party asking for its fulfillment and ready to cooperate with every effort by all parties concerned to that end. We are not stooges of any party to the dispute, as is painted.”
Meanwhile, a delegation of Kashmiri Pandits led by Satish Mahaldar met the Hurriyat Conference leaders at the Rajbagh office. The meeting was in continuation of the previous meeting the delegation had with chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq at his residence last month regarding the return of Pandits to Kashmir and initiating a sustained inter-community dialogue to build mutual trust. “The meeting was very cordial and all Hurriyat Conference members assured the delegation of their deep desire and that of the Muslims of the valley to see Kashmiri Pandits back in Kashmir.”
It was decided that the suggestions given by the delegation will in all sincerity and seriousness be discussed with a broad cross-section of society including civil society members, religious organizations, those Kashmiri Pandits already staying here and others in order to make it inclusive and broad-based, the spokesman said.
“In this regard, the decision to form a committee was taken that would take the process forward to facilitate Kashmiri Pandits early return. The delegation thanked APHC and lauded its efforts.”
