Talks on J&K must be more expansive: NC

The Mirwaiz Umer Farooq-led All-Parties Hurriyat Conference that recently held talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh drew flak from mainstream National Conference (NC), the largest regional party in Jammu and Kashmir. This comes after militants launched a scathing attack on the amalgam over the talks.

Speaking at the 23rd death anniversary of party founder Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah, NC president Omar Abdullah said, "The sphere of talks should be expanded. Not only should other separatist groups but also elected representatives be included in the talks....The resolution of the Kashmir issue does not lie in Islamabad or New Delhi. It lies in Jammu and Kashmir," Abdullah said.

Abdullah claimed that the Hurriyat leadership was now talking about internal autonomy for Jammu and Kashmir, a long-pending demand with the NC.

He said the Hurriyat leadership should be asked what it discussed with the Prime Minister during the recent talks.

"They (Hurriyat leadership) have always been advocating azadi (freedom) for Kashmir. The Hurriyat should answer what was the response of the Prime Minister if they asked for freedom. If they did not discuss freedom, then where is the difference? We have been advocating autonomy for Jammu and Kashmir. And of course, we never asked the youth to take to arms," he elaborated.

The NC chief said if separatists showed their strength by calling for a general strike, the NC's show of strength was its public gathering today.

He asserted to his supporters to remain prepared for elections, which he predicted would be held anytime by next year.

The Kashmir valley observed a near-total shutdown on a strike call given by Syed Ali Shah Geelani to protest against the arrests under PSA. The strike call was supported by United Jehad Council, an umbrella organisation of militant groups based in Muzaffarabad, and the Kashmir Bar Association.

"I want to ask the Mufti (Chief Minister) why Hizbul Mujahideen (the largest militant group) is not included in the parleys? Isn't it true that during the NC government's rule, talks were held with the Hizb?

"Isn't it also true that the same five Hizb commanders, who talked to New Delhi during the NC government's rule, were killed during the Mufti's regime?" Abdullah said.