Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday expressed hope that the new government at the Centre would carry forward the dialogue process with Pakistan to address long-pending issues, including Kashmir.
“Hope the new government in New Delhi will not allow the dialogue process to die,” Mr. Abdullah said addressing a seminar, ‘Discussion between India and Pakistan on J&K — A Historical Perspective’, organised by the Institute of Kashmir Studies, University of Kashmir here.
The seminar was also attended by special envoy in the Prime Minister’s Office S.K. Lambah, who delivered the key note address.
Mr. Abdullah said the Kashmir issue is a long-pending problem and has political genesis which requires a political resolution.
“Kashmir issue has political genesis and it requires a political resolution. There is a need for continuing the ongoing back channel dialogue between India and Pakistan to move forward on addressing the long-pending issue which has consumed generations.
“It is most important that the new government taking office in New Delhi carries forward the process of dialogue with Pakistan and takes ahead the progress made by ambassador Lambah in this regard,” Mr. Abdullah said.
The Chief Minister said a solution which will satisfy the aspirations of the majority of the people of Jammu and Kashmir is the only way out.
“You cannot give any solution which will be acceptable to each and every citizen of the state. You have to work out a solution which will satisfy the aspirations of the majority of the people. Though such a solution is difficult to sell yet this is only way out in this regard,” he said.
The Chief Minister said the dialogue process has two sides and the two parties with different positions have to come to a meeting point so that productive progress is achieved.
“The longevity of dialogue without any logical conclusion takes out all sheen out of it and people start disbelieving this process. The discussion on Jammu and Kashmir between India and Pakistan has been a very long and non-conclusive affair. This has made people apprehensive about the success of this process,” Mr. Abdullah said calling for efforts to make dialogue process productive.
He said the transitions in the administration in Pakistan have impacted the forward movement in the back channel dialogue more than those in India. “The forward movement which we had seen during the time of President (Pervez) Musharraf was not at the same pace in President (Asif Ali) Zardari’s period. India looked forward towards the dialogue process with Pakistan both during the period of (Prime Ministers) Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Manmohan Singh,” he said.
The function was also attended by Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Farooq Abdullah, several legislators, Kashmir University Vice-Chancellor Talat Ahmad, faculty, students and members of the civil society.
