PHOTO: PTI

RETURN OF THE NATIVES: Kashmiri Pandits being welcomed by Muslims prior to the commencement of the meeting between Pandits and the Hurriyat in Srinagar on Tuesday.

SRINAGAR: The moderate faction of the Hurriyat Conference and representatives of Kashmiri Pandits on Tuesday began a path-breaking interactive process for the first time in 16 years. Both sides agreed to continue efforts to ensure the safe and honourable return of thousands of Pandit families living outside the Kashmir Valley.

After a marathon meeting at the Hurriyat headquarters in Rajbagh here, a joint statement said Kashmiris returning to the Valley "with a deeper sense of security and dignity unmistakably requires a favourable environment, for which the APHC along with all other sensible elements will endeavour to discharge their duty as effectively as is possible and the Pandit intellectuals will on their part also contribute to the forward movement as handsomely as is needed."

It was unanimously decided to support the ongoing dialogue process between India and Pakistan with a view to resolving all issues, including Kashmir, to ensure lasting peace in the region. "The involvement of the people of Jammu and Kashmir will further consolidate the process and help build bridges of goodwill, mutual trust and, above everything else, the understanding required under the circumstances."

The Hurriyat and Pandit members appealed to all sections to throw their weight behind them so that "the movement forward is translated into reality."

"Significant development"

Describing the meeting as a significant development, Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, Hurriyat leader, said: "All those Kashmiri groups who believe in `Kashmiriyat' should work for the return of the Pandits."

The Hurriyat leaders stressed the return of the migrants to their homes and not the security clusters built by the Government. Both sides agreed to carry forward the dialogue to take it to its logical end.

Earlier, the Pandit leaders were accorded a warm welcome by the Hurriyat leaders. "It is a great moment for all of us as we are on a mission to restore our relations with the majority community," said Jitendra Bakhshi of the Hindu Educational Society.

"The response has been good. It shows the urge of Kashmiri Hindus to return to the Valley," Moulvi Abbas Ansari, former Hurriyat chairman, said. One of the objectives of the conference was to re-establish communal harmony and restore the composite culture of the Valley.

`Happy coincidence'

Even as the meeting was in progress, a play, Naad [the call], was being staged in Tagore Hall. Part of a 10-day theatre festival organised by Doordarshan, it was staged by the Mehboob Cultural Society, Baramulla. An emotional appeal — "We are incomplete without you" — was made to the Pandits, represented by two characters.

Director Amin Bhat said: "If it has happened, it is just a coincidence and I am happy. But our play was readied many months ago." Theatre personality K.K. Raina could not control his emotions as he bowed before the cast in recognition of its performance.

Those who attended the meeting included R.L. Bhan of the All-India Kashmiri Hindu Forum, P.N. Koul of the Kashmiri Migrants Democratic Forum, Anil Dhar of the Kashmiri Migrant Welfare Association, Desh Ratan Pandita of the All-Migrants Camps Co-ordination Committee. However, two organisations, Panun Kashmir and Kashmir Smiti Delhi, rejected the Hurriyat-Pandit dialogue.

"The Hurriyat leaders are responsible for our exodus and genocide and they do not even have remorse," Agnishekhar, a Pandit leader, told The Hindu. "We are not against the dialogue but the way they have arranged it is mysterious. We were not invited or consulted."

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