Kashmir's pro-independence leaders express willingness to talk to India‏

Back from a 10-day visit to Pakistan, a top separatist leader in Indian administered Kashmir, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, has termed the visit as successful.

Mirwaiz has also reiterated his demand that Kashmiris be included as a principle party in the dialogue process between India and Pakistan. 

Addressing media persons at the Hurriyat Conference headquarters in Kashmir's summer capital Srinagar, he said both India and Pakistan need to resolve the deadlock over Kashmir while taking the aspirations of Kashmiri people into consideration. 

Speaking to Press TV, Mirwaiz said Kashmir and Afghanistan are interlinked, adding that India and Pakistan can reach an understanding viz-a-viz Afghanistan, if the Kashmir issue is resolved. 

Addressing a Friday congregation upon his arrival in Kashmir, Mirwaiz warned of an anti-government uprising in 2013 and 2014 if the government of India fails to take the Kashmir issue seriously. 

However, he expressed willingness to engage in meaningful talks and deliberations with New Delhi if it adopts a political approach instead of a military one. 

Mirwaiz said Kashmir is an important party to the dispute and therefore the participation of Kashmiris is a must in the dialogue between the two estranged South Asian neighbors. 

Massive anti-government protests have rocked this disputed region for three consecutive years from 2008 to 2010 in which more than 200 people have been killed and many more injured. 

Even after so many decades, Kashmir continues to be the bone of contention between India and Pakistan and the bitter dispute over this region has hampered the prospects of peace and stability in South Asia. 

Since their independence, India and Pakistan have fought three wars over Kashmir. Various accords, treaties and bilateral negotiations between the two countries have proved to be a futile exercise. 

With over half a million Indian troops, Kashmir is the most militarized zone in the world, even more than Afghanistan and Iraq. 

The much publicized Pakistan visit of pro-independence leaders has been termed successful by Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq. 

He believes India must show the spirit and willingness to engage in meaningful dialogue to resolve this dispute.