ISLAMABAD, June 14: All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Tuesday said that the bomb blast in held Kashmir was a work of anti-peace elements.

Responding to questions at an audience with the Senate’s house committee on foreign affairs at the parliament house, Mr Farooq apparently perturbed by the bomb explosion in Palwama said: “These anti-independence elements have unfortunately joined the movement.”

Mr Farooq said that there was no doubt that militancy had played a vital role in attracting the world attention towards Kashmir dispute but a stage has reached when every segment of Kashmiris including militants would have to join hands for achieving independence.

The political dialogue should precede every other effort for every struggle which was attached with militancy had lost the global support after 9/11.

When asked about the role of former and present chief ministers, Farooq Abdullah and Mufti Saeed, in the future of Kashmir talks, the APHC chairman said: “They were the agents of the government of India and have no role to play along side the independence movement leaders.”

Kashmiri leader Yasin Malik said: “So far the talks on Kashmir’s future are between Tariq Aziz (NSC secretary) and Narayan (Indian security council adviser) while Delhi and Islamabad maintain their own favourites on both sides of the divide.”

He said: “We do not want to listen and see decisions of our fate from radio and television and we want participation in the process of tripartite dialogue between India, Pakistan and Kashmiris.”

APHC leader Abdul Ghani Bhat said that there were some bitter realities about Kashmir and the people of Laddakh were one of them who do not support the mainstream struggle of Kashmiri people.

Earlier, Senator Mushahid Hussain, chairman Senate’s house committee, welcoming the APHC committee said: “The peace process which has started is irreversible and status quo can’t prevail.”

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