Meet Kashmir mainstream leaders too: Omar to Pak FM

Unlike the Congress and the BJP taking exception to visiting Pakistan foreign minister Hina Rabbani Khar meeting the Hurriyat leaders, J-K chief minister Omar Abdullah sees “nothing worrying about it”, instead asks Pakistan to meet Kashmir mainstream leadership too.

Unlike the Congress and the BJP taking exception to visiting Pakistan foreign minister Hina Rabbani Khar meeting the Hurriyat leaders, J-K chief minister Omar Abdullah sees “nothing worrying about it”, instead asks Pakistan to meet Kashmir mainstream leadership too.

HT Image

“For a resolution of the Kashmir issue between India and Pakistan through dialogue process, the government of Pakistan will have to talk to the mainstream leadership also,” said Omar after presiding over the function of the final cricket match of the Kashmir Premier League at Srinagar’s Sher-i-Kashmir grounds.

Ruling out separatists as only representatives of people of the state, Omar said, “The mainstream political parties have proved their representative character from time to time.”

In contrast to coalition partner Congress party’s serious note to visiting Pakistan foreign minister meeting with separatists in New Delhi recently, the chief minister played it down saying “there was nothing to worry about the meeting”.

Welcoming Kashmir-centric Confidence Building Measures, the chief minister said, “The cross LoC trade between two parts of J-K need to be converted from present barter trade into a normal banking supported trade activity. Proper banking arrangements are needed to strengthen it.”

Calling upon people to participate in development of J-K, Omar said “development process and requirements of life cannot wait the final resolution of political issues”.