HURRIYAT LEADERS HOPE 'GOOD SENSE' WILL PREVAIL

SRINAGAR: Expressing surprise over Indian government’s decision to cancel the proposed Foreign Secretary-level talks with Pakistan, Hurriyat and mainstream political leaders in Jammu and Kashmir called the decision unfortunate and hoped "Good sense prevails over Modi Government".

"Kashmir is an internationally recognized conflict, it is the pressure tactics from Modi Govt to suppress the peace process" said senior Hurriyat leader Nayeem Khan while talking to The Citizen.

Nayeem stated that the Modi Government which is in Majority at the Centre should revive their decision and include Hurriyat leaders in talks.

"I hope good sense prevails over Modi Government and they will revive their decision and engage all parties in talks" Nayeem added.

Meanwhile, Hurriyat Conference Chairman Mirwaiz Umer Farooq while expressing shock said that the decision was “very very unfortunate" and hoped that both Governments - that of India and Pakistan will work together for resolving the Kashmir issue.

“Such meetings had taken place during the tenure of Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Manmohan Singh as Prime Ministers. So what is the hue and cry about this time? ” Mirwaiz questioned.

JKLF Chief Yasin Malik also expressed surprise and said “this is not the first time that the Hurriyat leaders are meeting the Pak envoy".

PDP president Mehbooba Mufti termed the cancellation of the meeting as “a highly negative development.” and told that there is nothing provocative with these meetings.

"Such meetings have taken place during Congress led government and also during the previous NDA government led by Vajpayee and if that it was not an issue then there is nothing wrong, it should not be taken as provocative" Mehbooba told reporters in Srinagar.

The government has called off the proposed Foreign secretary talks after Pakistan Envoy Abdul Basit met senior separatist leader Shabir Shah in New Delhi, as part of a series of meetings with the Kashmiri leaders.