A delegation led by senior Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar called on Syed Ali Geelani, Hurriyat (M) chief Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Shabir Ahmed Shah at their respective residences in Srinagar on Thursday.Reports said that Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front Chairman Muhammad Yasin Malik didn’t meet the delegation. Spokesperson JKLF, confirmed that an appointment was sought by Mani Shankar Aiyar, however, that was rejected my Yasin Malik.Earlier, when a similar delegation led by Yashwant Sinha came to Kashmir to meet Hurriyat leaders, Yasin turned reluctant and didn’t meet them.During interaction, Mirwaiz told the delegation that it was good to know that in the din of hateful outbursts and aggression against the people of Kashmir that has become the norm in power circles of New Delhi and is propagated through most of its viscous electronic media to poison the minds of Indians and mislead them regarding the Kashmir dispute the genesis of the problem and the actual condition of the people in Kashmir and what they want, there were those who held the rights of human being and their causes based on universally accepted principals above so called "nationalism" and wanted to reach out.
Mirwaiz told the delegation that the situation of Kashmir is one of extreme oppression.The valley has been turned into a garrison of military paramilitary and police force where the civilians are held hostage by them and at are at their mercy, as they enjoy complete immunity from prosecution by law. All kinds of restrictions bans gags and curbs are in place to give no space to people to express their aspirations or protest their condition and the repression against them. Killing blinding, maiming, torture, arrests and detention are the order of the day. The situation is so frustrating that even young students are hitting the roads each day to resist occupation .He said the recent incident of using a Kashmiri youth as a human shield by an army officer and his honoring by the authorities clearly defines the GOI s perspective regarding Kashmir and how to deal with it.Mirwaiz told the delegation that despite facing such oppression , people have made up their mind that they will not yield and will continue to demand their just full and basic right to self determination ,guaranteed by Indian leadership before the world.
Mirwaiz said that by resorting to military might, Delhi and its local collaborators can’t crush the popular sentiment which lives deep in the heart and mind of every kashmiri irrespective of age or religion. Mirwaiz told the delegation that hurriyat believes that an alternative way to resolve the dispute was through negotiations between India Pakistan and the people of kashmir to the satisfaction of all but primarily keeping in view the aspirations and will of the people of kashmir who are greatly sacrificing and suffering.Stressing that escalation of tension in the region between India and Pakistan was primarily because of the lingering dispute in and on Kashmir which has long posed a grave threat to peace not just in the sub-continent but for the entire South Asia region and the world at large.Miwaiz said because of the Kashmir dispute India and Pakistan are once again face to face at LoC and clouds of war are looming large on the borders. He said its high time the two nuclear powers realised their confrontational approach will not lead them anywhere except to destruction and instead start a sustained dialogue process for peaceful resolution of issues.The APHC chairman asked the delegation that they should shoulder the responsibility and inform the civil society of India and the people of India about the actual situation of Kashmir,the oppression unleashed here and help counter the lies and misinformation being spread about Kashmir.
Geelani during his interaction with the delegation said that India has occupied Kashmir by military power. Hurriyat G released a video showing how Geelani received the delegation.Reiterating his stand on the unconditional talks, Geelani according to sources said that they are ready for a meaningful unconditional dialogue. Geelani also highlighted the incidents of ‘atrocities’ in Kashmir valley.Meanwhile, Shabir Ahmed Shah also made it clear to Indian leader Mani Shankar Aiyar that the people of Jammu Kashmir will never give up their struggle for right to self-determination.Shah while putting forward his viewpoint said, “We are not in favour of strained relations between India and Pakistan but demand justifiable solution to Kashmir dispute which has been the bone of contention between the two nuclear neighbouring nations.”Shah told the Mr Aiyar-led delegation that India has left no stone unturned to inflict worst kind of atrocities on the people of the disputed territory and urged the delegates to “sincerely” make aware the people of India and its leaders about the reality of Jammu Kashmir.The DFP chairman urged the delegation to meet the people of Valley and listen to their viewpoint as to what tragedies have befallen on them. “India has witnessed the Jalianwala Bagh Massacre but in Kashmir, such massacres are a routine. We don’t have enmity with the people of India but demand the right to decide our future. History stands testimony to the fact that Jammu Kashmir was an independent territory even before the birth of India,” he said.