End hostility, take political initiative: Mirwaiz to Guv

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, January 18

Separatist leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Friday urged Governor Satya Pal Malik to end hostility and take political initiative to solve the Kashmir issue.

He also said “oppression” was forcing the youth to pick up arms. The separatist leader referred to the statement of the Governor, wherein the latter had said that militancy, not militants had to be killed.

“Doesn’t he understand that if anyone picks up the gun, anyone is pushed to the wall, it is because of oppression, injustice and denial to acknowledge the fact the Kashmir is a political dispute,” he added.

Mirwaiz, who addressed a gathering at Jamia Masjid in the city, said: “Our human, social and religious rights have been suppressed, which forces the youth to join militancy.” “The government is responsible for all this,” he added.

He said if the government wants to end militancy, it should “come forward and acknowledge that there is no military solution and start a political process”. “It should end hostility, scrap black laws, release political prisoners, start a political process and we will be the first to welcome it.”

Mirwaiz said the separatists did not want bloodshed and want that all human lives, whether youth or soldiers, should be saved. “Elections, concessions and economic packages will not solve this issue. It will be solved when the aspirations of people of Kashmir are understood…our demand is that our right should be given to us,” he added.

“If we have to move forward there is no other option…the Centreshould acknowledge that the Kashmir issue only has a political solution based on the right to self-determination,” hesaid. He also criticised the Army’s recent statement in which it had described 2018 as a remarkable year.