NEW DELHI, July 25: A senior leader of Kashmir’s All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) said on Friday that India and Pakistan were headed for a lasting solution to their Himalayan dispute.

Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Jammu and Kashmir’s spiritual head and former chairman of the APHC told a prayer congregation in Srinagar that his talks with Pakistan’s JUI leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman in New Delhi last week had given him this hope.

The JUI leader had met Mirwaiz on several occasions during his tour of India, including a “debriefing” from his talks with Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, when the latter promised to visit Pakistan in January.

“India and Pakistan seem to be prepared for a lasting solution to the Kashmir problem and the two countries have made progress in this regard”, Maulvi Farooq said in Srinagar according to the Press Trust of India.

“There is no doubt that they are moving towards a lasting solution and in this regard an informal dialogue has already begun, which is a satisfying development,” the Mirwaiz said. He quoted his talks with Maulana Fazl as evidence.

“I had a very positive and mutually beneficial talk with Maulana Fazlur Rehman and his delegation,” the Mirwaiz said.

“The delegation assured us that they would continue their efforts for a peaceful and durable resolution of the Kashmir issue”, he said. PTI quoted him as expressing APHC’s gratitude and appreciation for the JUI’s efforts.

The Mirwaiz emphasized the need for unity among the APHC leadership at this “crucial juncture” to lend support to this initiative to pave the way for a solution to the Kashmir issue.

He said people of Jammu and Kashmir had to decide now if they wanted to play a constructive role or just be silent spectators.