The separatist camp in Kashmir is playing down tie-up between Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) and BJP to form an unprecedented coalition under Mufti Muhammad Sayeed's leadership. However, the separatists have begun voicing satisfaction over the resumption of dialogue process between India and Pakistan with a hope that the dialogue process would include efforts to resolve Kashmir issue.

Chairman of the moderate faction of Hurriyat Conference Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said that Government formation in Jammu & Kashmir cannot be substitute to the resolution of Kashmir issue because Governments have been formed since 1947. "The Governments have been formed in J&K but this process has failed to make an iota of difference on the core issue of Kashmir," Mirwaiz said in his weekly Friday sermon at Srinagar's Central Mosque.

He was referring to meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and PDP patron Mufti Muhammad Sayeed, which finalised Government formation more than two months after the poll results were announced on December 23.

"I believe Government formation can never be a substitute to Kashmir resolution. Kashmir resolution is linked with the fate of 13 million people," he said. "It is high time Government of India understands the reality and initiates process to resolve Kashmir issue," he said.

Mirwaiz expressed readiness to support dialogue process between India and Pakistan. "We are ready to co-operate with any process which is aimed to solve the Kashmir dispute according to the wishes and aspirations of Kashmiris," Mirwaiz said.

Mirwaiz regretted that the BJP-led Government terminated dialogue process with Pakistan last year over the issue of meeting between separatist leaders and Pakistan's High Commissioner in New Delhi.

"The BJP Government in New Delhi must have understood that the genuine leadership of Kashmir and its people would never allow putting the Kashmir issue on back burner. "The two nations should accept the ground realities and acknowledge they can't prosper unless the main issue of Kashmir resolved as per the aspirations of people," he said.

He said the concept of new India would not be realised until the BJP leadership takes positive steps towards Kashmir resolution.

Interestingly, hardline Hurriyat Conference leader Syed Ali Geelani has not reacted to the new tie-up. Geelani is known for his hard stance against the electoral process and resentment for pro-India politicians in Jammu & Kashmir. Geelani's spokesman appreciated Pakistan's Foreign Office spokesperson's statement indicating prominence to Kashmir issue in the upcoming negotiations between India and Pakistan.

JKlF chairman Yasin Malik came down heavily on the PDP-BJP tie-up and described Chief Minister-designate Mufti Muhammad Sayeed as exploiter of sentiments of Kashmiri people. Malik said that Mufti imposed Armed Forces Special Powers Act in J&K when he was the Home Minister of India and now he is portraying himself as a crusader to revoke the same law. He accused Mufti of executing top commanders of Hizbul Mujahideen during his first tenure as Chief Minister.