Address Kashmir issue within ambit of humanity: Hurriyat to Modi

A day ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the Kashmir Valley, moderate faction of Hurriyat Conference on Thursday said he should follow the course announced by Atal Bihari Vajpayee and resolve the Kashmir issue within the ambit of humanity.

"The Modi government should follow the path of BJP's veteran leader (the then) Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who once declared it his 'dream and wish to resolve the Kashmir Issue' and proposed talks and a solution 'under the ambit of Insaaniyat' (humanity)," Hurriyat Chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said in a statement.

He said the newly-elected NDA government has been given a strong mandate by the people of India and it should spell out its Kashmir policy and resolve the issue.

"It should now adopt a fresh approach towards a just and lasting solution to the Kashmir issue so that peace, prosperity and stability can become a reality. If it fails to do so, it would be a missed opportunity," the Hurriyat chairman said.

"It is up to the newly-elected NDA government under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi to spell out its Kashmir policy and to decide whether it is really serious about resolving the issue or not," he said.

However, Mirwaiz said, "We are yet to see any sign of a clear commitment" towards the effective resolution of the Kashmir Issue.

He claimed that the people of Kashmir will be observing a complete strike on the upcoming visit of the Prime Minister.

"It is our earnest wish that Modi and newly-elected NDA government understand the ardent political message we seek to convey through this act.

"We have repeatedly expressed our hope that the Kashmir issue is addressed in its proper perspective as a political and human issue," he said.

The Mirwaiz said unless the Kashmir issue is addressed, the recent peace overtures between India and Pakistan started by Modi and his Pakistan counterpart Nawaz Sharif will not move ahead and the people of Jammu and Kashmir will continue to be caught in the impasse.

"In light of the expressed concerns, and to voice demand for a full-fledged peace process aimed at resolution of Kashmir issue, we choose to observe a complete strike across Kashmir," said Mirwaiz.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is going to Jammu and Kashmir tomorrow for a one-day visit, during which he will inaugurate a rail link to put Katra on the railway map and address a Sanik Samelan in Srinagar.