Srinagar: Kashmir High Court Bar Association on Friday expressed strong resentment against the remarks made by Governor regarding the Hurriyat Leadership.
“The (Kashmir High Court Bar Association) makes it clear that all the Hurriyat leaders are the genuine and real representatives of the people of Kashmir and they deserve respect by one and all including those who are thrust on the people of Kashmir by Indian government to perpetuate their illegal occupation of Kashmir,” the lawyers body said in a statement issued here.
Stating that the members of the Hurriyat Conference “don’t even go to the toilet without asking Pakistan,” Governor Satya Pal Malik on Thursday said that no talks would be held with them until they separate themselves from Pakistan.
“I haven’t held talks with any stakeholders. I recently met representatives from various parties. As far as Hurriyat is concerned, they don’t even go to the toilet without asking Pakistan. So till the time they don’t keep Pakistan separate, no talks will be held with them,” Malik told reporters here after being asked about holding talks with stakeholders of the Kashmir problem, including the Hurriyat Conference.
Malik said though he has held no talks with any stakeholder, he meets everyone. “I met Omar Abdullah, Mehbooba Mufti, M Y Tarigami and all recently,” he said.
“So there will be no talks with them till they do not stop insisting on involving Pakistan. Talks are the prerogative of the government. My role is to make the situation conducive for the talks and I am trying to make that happen.
“You would have seen there is decrease in violence, there is a decrease in (militants’) recruitment, stone-pelting incidents have come down. It is not because of me, but due to the attitude of the people,” he said.