Pakistan on Tuesday said India’s appointment of an interlocutor for dialogue in Jammu and Kashmir was unrealistic and lacked sincerity, PTI reported. Only a dialogue involving Islamabad and the Hurriyat Conferenceas well would give results, Foreign Office spokesperson Nafees Zakaria said.
He said India’s decision showed that New Delhi believes it is futile to use force, and that dialogue is indispensable.
“However, for any dialogue process to be meaningful and result-oriented, it has to include the three main parties – India, Pakistan and the Kashmiris,” Zakaria was quoted as saying. “In that context, without the participation of the Hurriyat leadership, no interaction or dialogue would carry any weight or meaning.”
The Foreign Office spokesperson also said that dialogue was the need of the hour was to peacefully resolve the Kashmir dispute in accordance with the resolutions of the United Nations Security Council and the wishes of the Kashmiri people.
On Monday, Indian Home Minister Rajnath Singh had announced that the Centre would start a dialogue with the northern state, which has been on edge since Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani was killed in an encounter in July 2016. Former Intelligence Bureau Director Dineshwar Sharma was appointed to initiate dialogue with elected representatives of Jammu and Kashmir, political parties, different organisations and residents of the state.
Sharma is an officer from the 1979 batch of the Indian Police Service. He has been the interlocutor for talks with rebel groups in Manipur and Assam, as well.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!