Geelani for political solution to Kashmir issue

By Our Special Correspondent

JAMMU, APRIL 5. The Chairman of the separatist, All Party Hurriyat Conference (APHC), Mr. Syed Ali Shah Geelani, who was released from Jodhpur jail on Tuesday has reiterated that only tripartite talks can lead to a peaceful and amicable solution to the vexed Kashmir problem.

Mr. Geelani, who is in Delhi, said that there could be no military solution to the problem and the issue could be resolved only through negotiations between the three parties to the dispute viz India, Pakistan and the people of Kashmir.

Replying to a question whether their release came on the intervention of the U.S. President, Mr. Bill Clinton, Mr. Geelani denied the same, saying, ``Our arrest was illegal, unethical and unlawful and had no justification''.

The Hurriyat chairman who was arrested along with other leaders claimed that prior to the elections, the Indian Election Commissioner had said that people had the right to run a campaign calling for boycott of elections. Using that right we launched the campaign which was peaceful. He said that their release was no mercy from the government but realisation on its part of its repressive action. The release cannot heal the wounds of the arrest, he observed.

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Section  : Regional
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