The Hindu : Wishes of Kashmiris will not be ignored, says Musharraf

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jan 09, 2004

International

International - India & World

Wishes of Kashmiris will not be ignored, says Musharraf

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD, JAN. 8. In a bid to allay apprehensions of a possible `deal' between India and Pakistan, the Pakistan President, Pervez Musharraf, has said that the wishes of the Kashmiri people would not be ignored in any solution to the problem.

The very fact that Gen. Musharraf deemed it necessary to meet leaders from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir two days after the India-Pakistan joint statement is a clear indication of the worries in their minds that Islamabad is about to or has already changed its traditional posture on Kashmir.

Interestingly, there was no reference in the course of today's interaction to the United Nations Resolutions envisaging a plebiscite to ascertain the will of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. The disclosure by Gen. Musharraf in the course of an interview a few days ago that Pakistan had for now "left aside" the U.N. resolutions had triggered protests.

Among those who called on Gen. Musharraf included the PoK President, Sardar Mohammad Anwar Khan, Prime Minister, Sardar Sikandar Hayat Khan, Leader of the Muslim Conference, Sardar Abdul Quyoom Khan, the president of the Pakistan People's Party (PoK), Barrister Sultan Mehmood Choudhry, and the convener of the All Parties Huriyat Conference, Farooq Rehman.

The Information and Broadcasting Minister, Sheikh Rasheed Ahamed, said the meeting of Kashmiri leaders with Gen. Musharraf was encouraging and all the leaders had full confidence in the Government's Kashmir policy.

He quoted Gen. Musharraf as telling them that no steps would be taken for dialogue with India until all the political leaders of Kashmir were consulted on the issue.

The Minister said that this was the first time that both Pakistan and India had agreed on a composite dialogue. He said Gen. Musharraf had assured the leaders that "we have the same thoughts for Kashmir as we had in the past." He was of the view that all the politicians fully supported the need for a composite dialogue with India expected next month and extended their full cooperation in this regard.

In a related development, the Chairman of the Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), Amanullah Khan, has rejected the India-Pakistan joint statement terming it as extremely disappointing for the Kashmiris.

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