The Hindu : National : Hurriyat leader wants to visit Pakistan

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Nov 01, 2004

National

National

Hurriyat leader wants to visit Pakistan

NEW DELHI, OCT. 31. Barely a week ahead of the Home Minister, Shivraj Patil's visit to Jammu and Kashmir, Mirwaiz Omar Farooq, chairman of the moderate faction of the Hurriyat Conference, said, ``We should be allowed to visit Pakistan for talks with the political and separatist leadership there before resuming the third round of talks with India.''

The visit to Pakistan will enhance the possibility of having a fruitful dialogue with the Indian government, he said.

``In Pakistan, we would like to talk to the people and politicians there to discuss how the Kashmir issue can be resolved.''

The Mirwaiz, who claimed to have met the Pakistan President, Pervez Musharraf, at the Netherlands capital, Amsterdam in September, said the Hurriyat Conference has prepared a roadmap for resolving the Kashmir issue.

``We will also discuss the roadmap with the Pakistani leadership. Pakistan is a party to the dispute and there is a section of Kashmiri leadership staying in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir. They also need to be consulted before we come to the negotiating table,'' he added.

The Mirwaiz said the proposals suggested by Gen. Musharraf were somewhat similar to the Hurriyat's roadmap for peace.

He said the Hurriyat Conference was not shying away from a dialogue with the Centre. ``We know Kashmir can be resolved through dialogue and dialogue only.''

The moderate faction of the Hurriyat has held two rounds of talks with the Centre.

UNI

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