India, Pakistan cannot sideline Kashmir issue: Hurriyat

The moderate faction of Hurriyat Conference today expressed concern over what it claimed "increasing confrontation" between India and Pakistan and said it will intensify efforts to bring together the two countries to resolve the Kashmir issue.
The Hurriyat Conference headed by Mirwaiz Umer Farooq constituted a two-member committee to chalk out its future strategy in the wake of the situation Jammu and Kashmir.
"A two-member committee has been constituted... So that Hurriyat can chalk out its counter strategy," the separatist amalgam said in a statement after a meeting here.
The meeting, first since the hanging of Parliament attack convict Mohammad Afzal Guru, was chaired by Mirwaiz and was attended by all the members of the executive, General council and working committee of the conglomerate.

The Hurriyat said the meeting discussed in detail the changing political scenario in the sub-continent and its impact on Kashmir and felt that both the nuclear powers - India and Pakistan - cannot improve their relations by sidelining the issue.
"Both the countries have failed to achieve positive results despite restoration of trade ties, cricket diplomacy and people-to-people contact and unless the Kashmir issue, which is the basic cause behind the animosity between the two countries, is addressed, the political uncertainty will remain," the statement said.
The Hurriyat decided "to intensify efforts to bring India and Pakistan together to resolve the Kashmir issue".