Pakistan-based Kashmiri militant alliance United Jihad Council (UJC) is ready to hold talks with the Centre but doesn’t think laying down arms should be made a precondition for the discourse. Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh’s latest conditional offer for talks has been welcomed by the ruling National Conference-Congress
alliance terming it “appropriate.” On the other hand, main regional opposition People’s Democratic Party, while appreciating it, urged the separatists to “grab the opportunity to present their viewpoint in resolving the Kashmir issue.”
But the separatists seem to be unimpressed. Chief Muslim cleric and leader of his faction of Hurriyat Conference alliance Mirwaiz Umar Farooq termed it “rhetoric” as Dr Singh has only reiterated the Centre’s commitment to hold dialogue with all groups in Jammu and Kashmir “which are outside the political mainstream provided they shun violence.” Hard-line separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani has objected to the Prime Minister’s choice of words. “Who is indulging in violence that the Prime Minister has talked about?” he asked alleging that it were actually the Indian armed forces which have been “violent” in Jammu and Kashmir.
However, United Jihad Council, the main alliance of militia outfits, has, for the first time, showed readiness to hold talks with the Government of India but said that the laying down of arms should not be made a precondition for the discourse. Also, it wants Pakistan to be involved in what could be the tripartite dialogue for resolving the Kashmir issue.
The UJC spokesperson Syed Sadaqat Hussein said in a statement issued from Muzaffarabad said that the alliance was ready to join what ought to be tripartite dialogue provided New Delhi accepted Kashmir is a dispute to be resolved with Pakistan and the people of the state and initiates confidence building measures such as repealing the Armed Forces (Special) Powers Act and Public Safety Act (PSA), setting all political prisoners free unconditionally, putting an end of human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir. “The laying down of arms should not be made a precondition either because there have been many instances in history when rival nations agreed to hold talks to resolve issues without seeking to give up the gun by either side, the latest being that of Vietnam and Afghanistan,” he said.
“If Dr Singh is serious and sincere too on initiating meaningful and result-oriented talks, he must work towards creating conductive atmosphere for it,” the UJC spokesperson said adding that a two-way dialogue would be only wasting of time as such moves have failed to bear fruit in the past.