Srinagar, Aug. 21 : Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chief Yasin Malik on Friday said that the people of Kashmir have every legitimate claim to be a part of any kind of decision-making process between India and Pakistan.
Malik said the separatists welcome a dialogue between India and Pakistan if they are willing to resolve the Kashmir issue.
“It is not my initiative; it is the initiative of two countries. We welcome a dialogue process subject to the condition they have built to resolve the issue. If the two countries are willing to take the initiatives then they need to engage the Kashmiri people,” Malik told ANI here.
“If you are claiming that we want to resolve the issues through dialogue (then) why are you getting irritated with the party who have a legitimate claim on Kashmir. Why are you telling that you will not be allowed to be a part of the process where India and Pakistan want to discuss Kashmir?” he asked.
Malik said the Kashmiris are the real party to the dispute and they have a right to be part of the dialogue process.
“We are the sufferers, we Kashmiri people..It is the voice of Kashmiri people, resolve my conflict because I too want to live a normal life,” said Yasin Malik while responding to a poser on National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah’s comment urging the separatists not to meet Pakistan National Security Advisor Sartaj Aziz.
The JKLF chief also questioned the policy of Narendra Modi-led government towards Pakistan.
“If your intentions are not right, you do not want to address the issues then you need small complaints..Are you ready to confess that for last 21 years the Government of India was doing wrong. In the BJP Government headed by Mr. Atal Bihari Vajpayee, when the President of Pakistan General Pervez Musharraf came for Agra Summit, he first went to Delhi and he met Kashmiri leaders,” said Malik.
“Is today this present government ready to tell that he was on the wrong path? The Prime Minister of India on record has said that on issues of foreign policy and security, I will follow the footsteps of Atal Bihari Vajpayee,” he added.
The Pakistan High Commission has invited Hurriyat leaders for a meeting with Sartaj Aziz in the national capital.
It may be recalled that the Indian Government had last year cancelled the Foreign Secretary-level talks between both sides for the same reaso.(ANI)