No change in Kashmir policy, Basit tells Mirwaiz

Srinagar, July 22: Pakistan would continue to support Kashmiris on moral, political and diplomatic front and there was no question of Islamabad changing its national policy on Kashmir, country’s envoy to New Delhi Abdul Basit has assured Hurriyat Conference (M).

The assurance was extended to the amalgam after a two member Hurriyat delegation comprising of Mirwaiz Dr Molvi Muhammad Umar Farooq and senior leader Moulana Masroor Abbas Ansari met the envoy during Eid Milan Party hosted by him in New Delhi.


According to a statement issued to Global News Service (GNS), the Hurriyat delegation held an hour long meeting with the Pakistan envoy in New Delhi Abdul Basit during which both the sides held political deliberations of mutual interest especially with regard to the current political situation in Kashmir.

While terming the cordial relations between India and Pakistan essential for the regional stability, Mirwaiz Chairman told Pakistan’s envoy that the cordial relations between two nations cannot be fostered unless Kashmir issue was not resolved according to the wishes and aspirations of the people of Kashmir. He told the envoy that without the resolution of Kashmir dispute, peace and stability in the region would remain a distant dream.

While referring to the recently held talks between India and Pakistan in Russian city of Ufa, Mirwaiz told the envoy that by not mentioning Kashmir dispute in the joint declaration, a negative perception has emerged in Kashmir which is becoming a cause of concern among Kashmiris. He said that Kashmiris were not against the restoration of relations between the two countries or against the talks between them, but if Kashmir dispute is kept outside the ambit of any such talks, the whole process turns into a futile exercise. He said that Kashmir dispute was the core issue between the two countries and without solving it according to the aspirations and emotions of Kashmiris, peace and stability would continue to evade the region.

Expressing his thanks to the people and government of Pakistan for supporting the Kashmir cause since many decades, APHC Chairman told the envoy that the sacrifices laid by the Kashmiris in past seven decades for the movement demands that genuine Kashmiri leadership should be made the part of any dialogue process between the two countries.

In his response, the statement said, Pakistan envoy Abdul Basit assured Mirwaiz that Pakistan would continue to support Kashmir cause on moral, political and diplomatic front. He told Mirwaiz that there was no question of Pakistan changing its national policy on Kashmir.

Abdul Basit added that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharief have discussed Kashmir in their recent talks and have agreed to discuss Kashmir issue in the dialogue process between the two countries and that Pakistan would always keep in mind the political emotions and aspirations of Kashmiris while it would strive for the resolution of Kashmir issue. (GNS)