Mirwaiz reiterates call for resolution of Kashmir dispute through dialogue
Says Kashmiris continue to suffer due to unresolved dispute
Srinagar : Senior All Parties Hurriyat Conference leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has said that the people of Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir have been facing immense hardships for decades due to the unresolved Kashmir dispute, and that the time has now come to fulfill the promises made to them at the international level.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq was addressing the Friday congregation at the historic Jamia Masjid in Srinagar.
He said that as people gathered at this historic pulpit of Jamia Masjid, their hearts were filled with pain and disappointment over being once again not allowed to visit Mazar-e-Shuhuda Eidgah in Srinagar to pay tribute to their beloved leaders and martyrs.
Referring to the past, he said, “Thirty-six years have passed since the martyrdom of Shaheed-e-Millat Mirwaiz Molvi Muhammad Farooq and the Hawal massacre of 21 May 1990, yet the wounds remain fresh in our hearts.”
He said that the Kashmiris continue to pay the real price of the unresolved dispute as they endure a prolonged cycle of violence, tragedies, and loss. He added the political struggle of Kashmiri people was aimed at ensuring their voice is heard, their democratic aspirations are respected, and their dignity is recognized, but this has not been allowed to materialize.
Recalling the legacy of his father, martyred Mirwaiz Molvi Muhammad Farooq, he said he consistently advocated the path of dialogue and reconciliation. “He strongly believed that India and Pakistan talk to each other to find a way forward, and in the process, take the people of Jammu Kashmir along byaddressing their concerns and democratic aspirations. His vision and path remain as relevant today as it was 36 ago,” he said.
He added that Shaheed Mirwaiz believed in dialogue and practiced it throughout his life through continuous outreach to all, even to his political adversaries and considered dialogue among countries, communities, sects, and peoples as the best means to peaceful coexistence, prosperity and development.
Mirwaiz further said that since international commitments on the Kashmir dispute were never implemented and wars between India and Pakistan failed to resolve the issue, both countries must now engage in meaningful dialogue, find a sustainable way forward to resolve the dispute, and ensure the participation of the people of Jammu and Kashmir in any such process.
