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NEW DELHI, Sept 7: The All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) and the India-backed Kashmir Committee on Saturday night discussed “specific proposals” for the resolution of Kashmir issue and arrived at an understanding that the committee would meet its Pakistani counterpart.
Talking to newsmen after the meeting, Prof Abdul Ghani Bhat, APHC Chairman, said, “it has been decided that Kashmir Committee of India will meet its counterpart, Kashmir Committee of Pakistan” at the time and place to be decided later.
“We have decided to meet Kashmir Committee of Pakistan any time and place of convenience”, Kashmir Committee member Dilip Padgaonkar told newsmen meeting between the Kashmir Committee and a four-member Hurriyat Delegation.
APHC’s four-member delegation, led by Abdul Ghani Bhat, arrived here on Saturday evening with Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Sheikh Ali Muhammad and Javid Mir for the second round of talks with the Kashmir Committee.
Kashmir Committee and Hurriyat leaders will meet here tomorrow at a mutually-convenient time to carry forward the dialogue, Padgaonkar said.
Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said the talks had moved a “great deal forward “as the discussions now were focusing on “specific issues” and “steps” to resolve the issue.
He said it was decided that the Kashmir committees of India and Pakistan would meet in either country and the details would be worked out.
He continued, “other specific proposals on peace process” would be discussed during the next round of talks and a picture would be clear in a couple of days.
Padgaonkar said the talks, which had centered on general issues during the first round in Srinagar, had reached a “delicate stage” on the matter of evolving a framework for resolution of the issue.
The Hurriyat delegation led by its Chairman Abdul Ghani Bhat, also comprised Javed Ahmed Mir of JKLF and Sheikh Ali Muhammad of Jamait-i-Islami besides Mirwazi Umar.
Among those representing the Kashmir Committee were Ram Jethmalani, Padgaonkar, its Convener Ashok Bhan and eminent editor M.J. Akbar.—APP
