SYED ALI SAFVI
SRINAGAR, Oct 14: A day after New Delhi announced the appointed of three interlocutors for a dialogue process in Jammu and Kashmir, ruling coalition partners -National Conference (NC) and J&K Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) - today expressed dismay over non-inclusion of a politician among the appointed interlocutors. Emphasising the need for taking separatist leadership on board, the National Conference also suggested to the interlocutors to try and engage in talks those “who are angry and are not part of the mainstream camp”.
Pertinently, both factions of Hurriyat Conference, Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), and Dukhtaran-e Millat (DeM) had Wednesday outrightly rejected the decision of appointing interlocutors for helping restart dialogue process in strife-torn state, asserting that holding talks with them would be a” futile exercise”.
Senior NC leader and member parliament, Shareef-ud-Din Shariq, today said that it was essential for New Delhi to appoint a politician, who was well versed with Kashmir.
“Appointing a statesman, who has a good understanding about the intricacies of Kashmir issue and have regard for the feelings of Kashmiris, is imperative for bringing back peace in the strife-torn region of Kashmir,” he said.
Maintaining that the decision of appointing the interlocutors had generated a “ray of hope” among the denizens of the state, Shariq asked government of India to sincerely and seriously address the Kashmir issue.
“Keeping in consideration the sensitive nature of the problem, appointment of a politician among the interlocutors is a must,” he said. “There is a need to choose a politician as interlocutors who also enjoy the support of opposition.”
He appealed to all shades of political opinion to facilitate the resolution of six-decade long Kashmir imbroglio.
“Our party is in favour of result-oriented talks,” he said.
Shariq, who defeated separatist-turned-mainstream politician Sajad Lone in 2009 parliamentary elections from Baramulla-Kupwara Lok Sabha seat, said that chief minister, Omar Abdullah, had created history by projecting Kashmir as a political dispute in front of high-level central leadership.
“It speaks volumes about his (Omar’s) courage,” he said.
He said that people of Kashmir had been reeling under intense hardship for the last 63 years.
“Dialogue is the only way to resolve the Kashmir problem,” he said.
Taking a dig at separatist camp, the senior NC leader said that on one hand they were demanding withdrawal of troops from Kashmir and on the other hand they refuse to take part in the dialogue process.
“I wonder how on earth such sensitive issues can be resolved except for talks,” he said.
Stating that his party had always been a strong votary of dialogue, Shariq said the National Conference was working for an amicable resolution of the dispute.
“It is very unfortunate that Kashmiri leadership have failed to reach a political consensus on Kashmir over the last six decades,” he said.
Stating that New Delhi should have appointed interlocutors long ago, senior NC leader and member parliament, Dr Mehboob Beig, said, “Nonetheless, it is a welcome gesture”.
“Talks should be meaningful to lend credibility to the institution of dialogue,” he said.
Hinting at the need to take separatists on board, Beig suggested the interlocutors to talk to those “who are angry and are not part of the mainstream camp”.
He appealed to all shades of political opinion to take part in the dialogue process.
“Kashmiris are peace-loving people by nature, they don’t believe in violence,” he said. “Honouring their aspirations is our responsibility.”
He said that people of Kashmir want peace.“Our youth are victims of unemployment, they want jobs,” he said.
The ruling NC had yesterday welcomed the decision and termed it as a "good beginning".
"Resolving the Kashmir issue is a big task therefore it is a challenge for the interlocutors," senior NC leader and minister for rural development, Ali Mohammad Sagar had said. "Now it depends upon the appointed interlocutors how they would engage Kashmiris in talks."
Meanwhile, JKPCC president and Rajya Sabha member, Saif-ud-Din Soz, also said that a politician should have been included among the interlocutors.
“A political personality should be included among the interlocutors,” Soz said while talking to media persons at SKICC here today.
However, he refused to comment further.
“I don’t want to comment on the issue at the moment,” he said. “Will talk about it some other day.”
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