Hurriyat Ready For Talks To Resolve Kashmir 'Dispute', Says Mirwaiz Umar

Speaking to a congregation at Srinagar’s Jamia Masjid, Mirwaiz urged for meaningful negotiations amid changing global geopolitics.

Srinagar: Kashmir’s chief cleric and Chairman of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, on Friday reiterated his call for dialogue to peacefully resolve the "longstanding Kashmir dispute." He emphasized that dialogue remains the only viable path forward in the region.

Speaking to a congregation at Srinagar’s Jamia Masjid, Mirwaiz urged for meaningful negotiations amid changing global geopolitics.

Referring to a recent statement by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the BRICS summit that "this is not an era of violence but of dialogue and diplomacy," Mirwaiz expressed Hurriyat’s commitment to peace and dialogue.

"Hurriyat has always advocated for resolving disputes through talks rather than violence,” he said. “We held multiple rounds of dialogue with former Indian Prime Ministers like Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Manmohan Singh, as well as with Pakistan's late General Pervez Musharraf. We are still open to talks with the Government of India for a peaceful resolution to this longstanding conflict."

Mirwaiz, who was under house arrest for over four years following August 2019, recently met with key Hurriyat leaders, including Professor Abdul Gani Bhat, Bilal Gani Lone, and Molana Masroor Abbas Ansari.

Reflecting on the origins of Hurriyat in 1993, Mirwaiz noted that while militancy was at its peak at the time, Hurriyat stood firm on advocating a peaceful resolution to the Kashmir conflict. “Even amid those difficult days, we championed peace through dialogue. After 30 years, our position remains unchanged: meaningful negotiations, not violence or force, are the sole solution."

Acknowledging recent bloodshed, including the killings in Ganderbal’s Gagangeer and Gulmarg's high-security zone, Mirwaiz stressed the need for thorough investigations into these serious incidents. A special prayer was held for deceased pro-freedom leaders, honouring their memory.

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