Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Dec 2: Day after Centre announced its readiness for a dialogue with separatists in Jammu and Kashmir under the framework of the Constitution, hardline Hurriyat Conference chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani today rejected the offer.
“The resolution of Kashmir dispute is a basic issue and until this issue is addressed as core issue and until this dispute is solved according to the wishes and aspirations of the people and by respecting the sacrifices rendered by them, such talks will not help in addressing the issue. Such dialogue will prove a futile action like the past and nothing concrete can be expected from those talks,” Geelani told reporters here at his residence.
Geelani also said that India and Pakistan have held more than 150 rounds of talks so far but all those dialogues had “failed” to yield anything. “What have we achieved from those talks? India has promised right to self-determination. The United Nations has passed 18 resolutions. But India is not sincere and ready to implement those. The unrealistic attitude of Indian Government is the biggest impediment in the resolution of the issue,” he said.
Geelani said all the regions of Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK), including Gilgit-Baltistan were a single entity and Hurriyat is not in favour of dividing them.”Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Buddhists and other residents of Jammu and Kashmir are our brothers and sisters. We are not for division and discrimination on the basis of caste, colour, creed, sex or religion,” he said.
Geelani strongly condemned the Paris attacks by Islamic State and termed it “an anti-human, anti-Islamic act”. He, however, condemned the bombings in Iraq and Syria. “Those nations are bombing innocent people. There might be members of Daesh (IS) in those countries which these nations are targeting, but in those attacks many innocent people are killed,” he said.
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