‘Greater unity among Hurriyet camp essential for success’

Senior Hurriyet leader and the Chairman of Democratic Freedom Party (DFP), Shabbir Ahmad Shah has said that the greater unity amongst the Hurriyet camp is essential to carry forward the ongoing liberation movement in a more effective manner.Shabbir Ahmad Shah in a media interview in Srinagar said, “In view of India’s rigid stand on Kashmir in the past few years, it is high time for forging unity among the Hurriyet leadership of Kashmir.” He maintained that Indian agencies also left no stone unturned to keep the resistance leaders divided.

The DFP Chairman said that the Kashmir dispute could be resolved through tripartite talks involving Pakistan, India and the genuine Kashmiri leadership. He said that India should realize that the people of Kashmir have sacrificed thousands of youth for their right to self-determination.

He added that Indian government should also accept that Pakistan is party to the dispute as it had always rendered diplomatic and moral support to the Kashmiris. He said that Kashmir was an internationally-recognized conflict and even the US President, Barack Obama, and UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon had termed Kashmir as long-pending dispute during their visits to India.

Shabbir Ahmad Shah said that the dispute could only be settled through dialogue but unfortunately India wanted to suppress the voice of Kashmiris through military might.

He maintained that Pandits were the part and parcel of Kashmir’s society and their return to their native places would be welcomed. “We are not against their return but will sternly reject their settlement in separate colonies. It would be an attempt to alter Kashmir’s demography,” he remarked.