All Parties Hurriyat Conference’s senior leader Syed Geelani and Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front chief Yasin Malik met Pakistan High Commissioner to India Abdul Basit, but it was not immediately clear what they spoke about.
Speaking to reporters before his meeting with Basit, Geelani criticised India’s decision of calling off the meeting, saying it was undemocratic.
“We have been visiting Pakistan embassy several times to hold talks,” he said, referring to an almost two-decades-old practice of Kashmiri leaders holding dialogue with Pakistani officials, including during the tenure of the previous BJP-led government of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
“The issue of Jammu and Kashmir is an international issue and it should be solved. As long as promises made to us are not fulfilled, this issue will remain unsolved,” IANS reported Geelani as saying.
Following Monday’s decision by New Delhi, that bonhomie is looking like a distant dream, prompting Washington to call the move “unfortunate”.
“It is unfortunate that planned talks between India and Pakistan have fallen through,” US state department deputy spokesperson Marie Harf told reporters after the cancelling of talks.
“We continue to support efforts by India and Pakistan to improve all aspects of their bilateral relations. And that is a position we will continue making clear to both parties here.”
Published in The Express Tribune, August 20th,2014.
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@ET: Please correct the title. They are separatist leaders and not Kashmiri leaders. They do not present the sentiments of all Kashmiris. They are no less than Shiv Sena in Mumbai.
@Jogger: if pakistan do not interfere with its naighbouring country even in china(by non state actors) south asia will a better place and peace will prevail.
We love all brave and wonderful Kashmiri freedom fighters. Long live Pakistan/Kashmir unity. We will gain freedom soon.
I'd say before this section replenishes with hate messages, is that India and Pakistan need to put an end to cold war which has been going on since our very existence. Either of the country's instability would cause instaibility in our country too. Having said that, solving up Kashmir issue is imperative to make peace prevalent.
Bharat: "Kashmir is an Undisputed Integral part of India" Pakistan: "Kashmir is a Disputed territory" Hurriyat Leaders: "Kashmir is a separate entity"
Now My question is why Pakistan possessed Kashmir in its official map? I think Government of India should not waste my tax money to pay huge subsidy to kashmiris, Cancel all reservation quotas in Topmost institutions Like IITs, IIMs,IISC, AIIMS etc We Indians are very cool now because we do not have corrupt congress government in center, Its MODI thus we have no problem at all(He will handle such things)