Mirwaiz rejects offer by interlocutors

Srinagar: While rejecting fresh offer for dialogue by three-member interlocutors appointed by New Delhi, the chairman of his faction of Hurriyat Conference, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq Friday said that all the previous bilateral efforts by India and Pakistan have failed to resolve Kashmir issue.

The Hurriyat chairman also reiterated role of China in resolving the long pending Kashmir issue.

“We have already set four conditions for any dialogue with India and unless these are met, we will not enter into any parleys with New Delhi,” Mirwaiz told a Friday gathering in historic Jamia Masjid here.

Referring to the next months foreign secretaries level talks between India and Pakistan on the sidelines of the SAARC meet in Bhutan, Mirwaiz called for concrete efforts vis-à-vis Kashmir while underlining that all the previous bilateral efforts between the two neighbours have failed. “In consonance with the policy of Hurriyat Conference, we held several rounds of talks with both India and Pakistan but unfortunately New Delhi continue with its policy of dilly-dallying.”

The Hurriyat chairman, who is the chief cleric of Kashmir, also praised the Beijing for its ‘pro-Kashmir’ stand during past few years.

“China has a definite role in relation to resolution of Kashmir issue and the stand adopted by the country is a good sign in so far as the Kashmir issue is concerned,” said Mirwaiz as per correspondent present on the occasion.

He said the Beijing was more powerful than America in terms of influencing in the world affairs. “America and China are big powers in the world today. Many believe that Beijing has even passed the United State and this power which remained silent over the years, is now openly favoring the resolution of Kashmir issue,” he said.

Expressing satisfaction over the internationalization of Kashmir issue, Mirwaiz said that need was being felt to resolve the issue.

“It’s a good sign that many voices are coming up across the world for the just resolution of Kashmir issue,” he said. He named few ‘voices’ as Washington, London and the OIC.

“In US and Britain the voices are coming out from the non-governmental forums as well,” he added.

Mirwaiz also divulged about his feature engagements including his participation in seminar in London next week.

“I will highlight the transition of Kashmiris’ struggle from a violent to a non-violent movement, denial of right of self-determination to the people of Kashmir and use of brute force by India against the non-violent protesters here,” he said. Mirwaiz also paid glowing tributes to the Gaw Kadal Martyrs.

After the prayers, Mirwaiz left for London to attend the seminar titled, ‘Asian powers in Kashmir: Pakistan, India and China’. The seminar, being held on January 25/26 is organized by the Royal United Services Institute, a British defense and security think-tank.