Improved relations to help resolve Kashmir issue: Mir Waiz
Pakistan Times Kashmir Desk

ISLAMABAD: Former Chairman All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) Mir Waiz Umer Farooq while advocating improvement in Indo-Pak relations said the solution of Kashmir issue would be possible only when Kashmiris are taken into confidence.

"As far as Indo-Pak relations are concerned, we want improvement of relations between the two countries. The solution of Kashmir issue would not be possible unless both the countries come closer to each other", Farooq told a private television network.

At the same time, he said, no specific improvement on Kashmir issue could be achieved without getting Kashmiris involved in the process. "I think time has come when the decision should be taken to ensure participation of Kashmiris in the next phase of talks", he added.

To a question he said the Kashmiri leadership has accepted the invitation of Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri and they will leave Srinagar for Delhi on Saturday to meet him. He said it is very rare that the Kashmiris leadership has an opportunity to meet with Pakistani leaders and this opportunity would of course materialize.

Umer demanded that Kashmiri leaders from both the sides should be allowed to meet each other adding this issue would be discussed with Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri also. He said the issue of Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus service would also come under discussion during this meeting.

Explaining the significance of Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus service he said, this can help improve the situation to great extent as it is a confidence building measure between Pakistan and India.

He said the Kashmir issue has a human aspect also, besides a political aspect. Families are divided, individuals are divided and there may be a sort of progress if they are provided an opportunity to meet.●