In occupied Kashmir, the Chairman of Hurriyat forum Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has said that India has never been serious in resolving the Kashmir dispute according to the Kashmiris’ aspirations.
Mirwaiz Umar Farooq in a media interview in Srinagar said that New Delhi is not willing to engage with Islamabad or with Kashmiris at this juncture. He said Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan is repeatedly asking India to initiate dialogue process but there has to be willingness on both sides.
To a question he said many analysts say that if the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) feels that they are on a weaker wicket, they might use Kashmir and Pakistan in a broader context. The fact is that Kashmir movement is indigenous and young Kashmiri boys who are getting killed, maimed and blinded.
To another query Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said India is not ready to acknowledge the Kashmir dispute and is only using military means. “Every other day we have to deal with different issues or disputes like settling outsiders, institutional autonomies and J&K Bank (turned into a public sector bank)”, he added.
The Hurriyat forum Chairman said India is claiming that Kashmir is its integral part but the fact is it is not bothered about its people. “It is only territory they are talking about. It is a very clear indication that they are dealing with the problem militarily. They are only bothered about how it is going to be played out in India. The public opinion is also being molded by a jingoistic media,” he maintained.
To a question, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said as far as the Kashmir movement is concerned, it is a political problem. “We have never said that it is Hindu India versus Muslim Kashmir.