Political parties welcome Modi-Sharif meeting in Paris

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, November 30

It is not clear what transpired between the Prime Ministers of India and Pakistan in Paris today, but the mainstream parties in Jammu and Kashmir have welcomed the brief courtesy meeting of Narendra Modi and Nawaz Sharif.

Ruling coalition partners PDP and BJP and the opposition National Conference and Congress have all hailed the gesture of the two Prime Ministers during the ongoing global summit on climate change. The two Prime Ministers shook hands and met for a couple of minutes.

Since Prime Minister Narendra Modi took over 18 months ago, the Secretary-level and NSA-level talks were called off between the two sides. After the oath ceremony of Modi in New Delhi, the two Prime Ministers met in Ufa, Russia, in July this year.

The PDP has welcomed the latest development maintaining that it has always wished that the two neighbours should come closer because “Kashmir is a victim of Indo-Pak animosity”. The party’s general secretary, Nizamuddin Bhat, said it was good if the heads of the two neigbouring states “meet and discuss international and sub-continental politics. Such things are always welcome”. Bhat said it would help build the much-needed relations between the two countries. “We hope that the two leaders have come to an understanding for reconciliation and mutual cooperation in the interests of the people of the two countries,” Bhat added.

Congress spokesman Ravinder Sharma described it as a “positive development”. He held that there could not be any substitute for peace and dialogue between the two countries even as he added that talks and terrorism could not go together. Sharma referred to the increase in militancy-related incidents across J&K and the cross-border firing. “We cannot move ahead …even now a conducive atmosphere between the two countries is lacking,” he said.

The National Conference also welcomed the two Prime Ministers’ meeting in Paris. “Dialogue is always welcome as it leads to a peaceful atmosphere,” said Nasir Aslam Wani, provincial president of the National Conference and a former Minister. He held that that it was a good development but stressed the need to resume dialogue between the two countries for a peaceful atmosphere in the region. “This is going to help,” Wani added.