Pro-dialogue faction of separatist Hurriyat Conference is eager to pick up threads for a renewed dialogue with New Delhi on the pattern of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s 2003 initiative.
The oft-repeated offer came a few days back after a group of Kashmiri separatist leaders met Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s foreign affairs adviser Sartaj Aziz in New Delhi.
The mainstream political groups have welcomed the offer but the hardline separatist leaders, who have resented such moves in the past, have not responded.
Chairman of moderate Hurriyat Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said that there was scope for restarting dialogue process with the Government of India on the pattern of negotiations initiated by AB Vajpayee during the NDA regime. He recalled that Vajpayee had initiated the process “in the ambit of humanity”. “If Vajpayee-type dialogue is revisited, then there is scope for talks. Hurriyat is committed to any dialogue aiming at resolving vexed Kashmir issue,” Mirwaiz said.
Mirwaiz’s faction of Hurriyat held several rounds of talks with the Central Government in 2003, despite resentment by hardliners and militants. Interestingly, the negotiations with Hurriyat were conducted by then Deputy Prime Minister lK Advani who was also the Home Minister of the country. The NDA’s defeat in 2004 elections initially did not alter the Centre’s Kashmir policy as Manmohan Singh-led UPA continued dialogue with the Hurriyat.
However, the process was scuttled unilaterally by the Centre in 2007 when Pakistan’s internal situation turned too precarious. Observers say that Centre’s cold shoulder towards pro-dialogue Hurriyat after 2007 was part of its policy towards Pakistan.
Following return of Nawaz Sharif to power after general elections in Pakistan, the Indo-Pakistan relationship is going for an overhaul. This has revived Hurriyat’s hopes for rediscovering its relevance in dialogue, they say.
Mirwaiz has expressed his willingness to enter into dialogue with the Centre, less than a week after he met with Sharif’s envoy Sartaj Aziz in New Delhi. Aziz is in consultation with Government of India over building peace constituency in the two confronting neighbours. Interestingly, the BJP had resented separatists’ meetings with Aziz at Pakistan’s High Commission in Delhi.
Kashmir’s mainstream groups including ruling National Conference and Opposition people’s Democratic Party (PDP) have welcomed Mirwaiz’s statement. However, Mirwaiz’s rival and head of hardline Hurriyat Conference Syed Ali Geelani has not commented on his offer. Geelani has resented Hurriyat’s previous engagements with New Delhi and dismissed them as futile exercises.