New Delhi : Asserting that Kashmir was an ‘important element’ of the composite dialogue between New Delhi and Islamabad, Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Thursday said that India and Pakistan should move beyond the Pathankot terror attack and go ahead with talks.
Speaking to the media after meeting Pakistan’s High Commissioner to India Abdul Basit here, Farooq said that the Kashmir issue was discussed in detail during the meeting while expressing hope that Foreign Secretaries of both nations would meet soon.
“It’s time that India and Pakistan go ahead with their talks and Kashmir being an important element of the composite dialogue. We also feel that some Kashmir specific measures need to be taken on the ground. We are hopeful that once the Foreign Secretaries of both nations meet, this whole process would get required direction,” he said.
He said that the issue of Pathankot terror attack and the upcoming visit of a Pakistani investigation team was also discussed, and called for a speedy probe to bring the perpetrators of the attack on air force base to justice.
“We did of course discuss Pathankot and they’re very keen to see Pakistani investigation team in Delhi. We are hopeful that this investigation process would speed up and perpetrators who are trying to derail the peace process should be brought to justice….India and Pakistan should move beyond this,” he said.
Farooq, had before his meeting with the Pakistani envoy, told ANI he is happy that India and Pakistan are initiating talks, adding that the meeting between the Foreign Ministers was a good omen for both sides but his query is whether the estranged neighbours are thinking of Kashmir’s welfare or not.
A group of heavily armed Pakistani terrorists, suspected to be belonging to Jaish-e-Mohammed outfit, struck at the Indian Air Force base in Pathankot on January 2.
The Intelligence Agencies had identified Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Maulana Masood Azhar as the prime mastermind of the Pathankot terror attack. (ANI)