Mercenaries have to quit Kashmir for Peace

[Guest guest]

Mercenaries have to quit J&K once talks begin: Lone

NEW DELHI: Senior Hurriyat leader Abdul Gani Lone on Monday made

clear that all mercenaries would have to leave Kashmir once a

political dialogue started and asked all militant outfits to give a

positive response to Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's unilateral

ceasfire.

 

"Non-Kashmiri mujahids (militants) will have to leave the arena when

the political dialogue starts," Lone said on his return here after a

three-week-long visit to Islamabad to solmenise the marriage of his

son.

 

Lone said he had made it clear to some Pakistani leaders and

commanders of militant outfits that "peace needs to be given a chance

in the state" and all militant outfits should come out with a open

stand to support the issue.

 

"My belief is that peace needs be given a chance and all militant

outfits should come with a united reponse to Vajpayee's initiative of

peace," Lone said.

 

He also sounded a word of caution - "people should be cautious that

there are vested interests who believe in sabotaging even this peace

process."

 

Asked about the rift in the Hurriyat over his statement that

fundamentalists were a threat to peace in Jammu and Kashmir, Lone,

who was accompanied by Sheikh Ali Mohammed of Jamaat-e-Islamia,

said "I stand by the statement. I am a heavyweight and I have the

guts to stand by what I had said."

 

Lone met Pakistani military ruler General Pervez Musharraf during his

stay in Islamabad. Asked whether he had any message from Musharraf,

Lone said "I met him and he convinced me about the Pakistani

stand...But one thing is there that he is not happy over the stand

taken by the Indian government."

 

However, Lone, president of the People's Conference, said Musharraf

was still hopeful of a positive response from India.

 

On the insistence of Pakistan that it be involved in the talks, Lone

said "the dispute on Kashmir should be solved. Both the countries

should remember that none of the concerned parties is left out."

 

Lone had left for Pakistan on November 16 to perform his son Sajjad

Lone's marriage to Ashma, daughter of Amanullah Khan.

 

About his discussions with militant leaders including the supreme

commander of Hizbul Mujahideen, Lone said "since I did not have a

mandate to talk to them, I would prefer to remain silent on this

issue."

 

But Lone made it clear that the Hurriyat leadership should be allowed

to go to Pakistan and meet the militant leaders so that a formal

strategy was cleared for a positive response to Indian's ceasefire

offer.

 

Asked whether Pakistan had assured him to put an end to cross border

terrorism, a pre-condition by India before starting a dialogue, Lone

said "this issue is also disputed and should be a part of

negotiations."(PTI)