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Separatist parties want Clinton to visit Kashmir

Mukhtar Ahmad in Srinagar

The All-Parties Hurriyat Conference, a conglomerate of separatist parties, has invited United States President Bill Clinton to Kashmir during his forthcoming visit "to see for himself the ground situation."

Addressing a press conference in Srinagar, APHC acting chairman Maulvi Omar Farooq said, "We are in contact with US Ambassador Richard Celeste for the inclusion of a visit to Kashmir in Clinton's programme."

Omar Farooq would personally meet Celeste in Delhi in this connection, he said.

The APHC chairman welcomed Clinton's recent statement that the "Kashmir issue should be resolved to ease the present Indo-Pak tensions."

"The world is concerned about the happenings in Kashmir and also over the nuclear threat in the sub-continent due to the non-resolution of the dispute," he said.

Referring to a recent statement of National Conference leader and Public Works Minister Ali Mohammad Sagar, the mirwaiz said, "These people who say Kashmir is an integral part of India are now talking of autonomy."

"The National Conference government is facing problems and is trying to mislead the public by using the autonomy card," he continued. "Autonomy is not the solution to the Kashmir problem, which should be resolved as per the wishes and aspirations of the Kashmiris."

"We will continue the struggle till we achieve our goal," he added.

The people of Kashmir wanted both India and Pakistan to prosper. "But that is possible only when the Kashmir issue is resolved as per the wishes of the people," Omar Farooq said.

Both countries, he went on, should immediately resume dialogue.

The mirwaiz also expressed concern over the human rights situation in the valley.

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