The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Involve people in Kashmir peace process, says Yasin Malik

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, May 26, 2006

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Involve people in Kashmir peace process, says Yasin Malik

Special Correspondent

Former Pakistan Minister Hassan echoes view

VOICE FROM THE VALLEY: Yasin Malik (right) of JKLF, the former Pakistan Minister Mubashir Hassan and National general secretary of the PIPFPD Tapan Bose (left) at a meeting on `Towards a resolution of the Kashmir dispute' in Bangalore on Thursday. & #151; Photo: Sampath Kumar G.P.

BANGALORE: Former Pakistan Finance Minister Mubashir Hassan and Chairman of the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) Yasin Malik on Thursday made out a case for a new approach to the peace process in Kashmir to usher in better relations between India and Pakistan.

They were speaking under the auspices of the Pakistan India People's Forum for Peace and Democracy on "Towards a resolution of the Kashmir dispute" here. The meeting was a rare occasion for Bangaloreans to hear firsthand the crux of the Kashmir problem and the ways and means in which it could be sorted out.

Ground realities

Mr. Malik, who stayed away from the second round table chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in Srinagar over the past two days, said a proper solution could not be found unless Pakistan and India looked into the ground realities. It was rather strange that they had not even identified who the real players should be in the peace process, he said.

He said the JKLF had extended support to the peace process in the belief that it would augur well for the people of Kashmir.

It was neither aware of the participants nor the agenda at the peace talks. The continuing violence was obviously an indication that the people had not identified themselves with the peace process and did not feel secure with the claims being made by the two countries.

"It is imperative that there is a genuinely peaceful atmosphere or else such actions would only spread more hatred," he said.

Mr. Hassan, who was in the Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Ministry, said India and Pakistan were enjoying the best of relations today.

However, given the nature of the problem there was still a long way to traverse.

For a satisfactory solution, government-level talks or those between Gen. Musharraf and Dr. Manmohan Singh alone would not suffice.

Tapan Bose, general secretary of the Forum, spoke.

Ambrose Pinto, Principal of St. Joseph's College, moderated the proceedings.

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