Hurriyat Conference welcomes Indo-Pak to re-engage

Moderate Hurriyat Conference today welcomed the decision of India and Pakistan to hold comprehensive bilateral dialogue and appealed to their political leadership to rise above their "traditional stances" and show statesmanship and "seriousness" in resolving all complex issues including Kashmir.
In a Executive and General council meetings chaired by Hurriyat Chairman Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, the recent visit of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to Pakistan earlier this month and holding meetings with the leadership including Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was welcomed.
In a resolution, the moderate faction called upon "the Indo-Pak leadership to rise above their traditional political stances and show statesmanship and seriousness in resolving the complex issues for ensuring long-lasting peace and stability in the region."

The Hurriyat Conference said the amalgam was ready to act as a bridge in bringing both the countries together for lasting peace in South Asia.
The Mirwaiz said the decision of resuming the stalled dialogue was a welcome step and Hurriyat Conference will like to contribute in every way so that the cordial relations between the two countries lasts.
"The Hurriyat Conference has always stood for cordial relationship between India and Pakistan and dialogue is the most effective way to resolve all contentious issues between the two countries including Kashmir," he told PTI after the meeting.

"Our only hope is that the dialogue, unlike in the past when it was stalled on one or the other pretext, will be carried forward with all seriousness and in a meaningful way," he said.

He said with Kashmir being the "most important pending issue between the two countries", it should get the attention it deserves because the continuation of this issue has been a stumbling block in the overall stability and progress of the South Asian region.
The Mirwaiz hoped that the dialogue will lead to fresh confidence building measures over Kashmir.
He reiterated that Kashmir is "basically a political and a human issue and needs a political solution. Both the countries shall have to devise a mechanism in order to include the people of Kashmir in the dialogue because without their participation and without taking their aspirations into account there cannot be a just and agreeable solution to this issue.