Taliban have no role in Kashmir: Geelani

Chairman of Hurriyat Conference (G) Syed Ali Geelani on Tuesday said that there was no role for Taliban in Jammu and Kashmir.

“India has started raising the Taliban bogey to justify its control on Jammu and Kashmir. They are raising unnecessary hue and cry about the Taliban to justify the atrocities being perpetrated on the innocent people of Kashmir. Kashmir has been accepted as a dispute pending solution at international forums but the Government of India at times projects it as a law and order problem and is now trying to get Taliban factor in between to mislead the international community,” Geelani said while talking to David Hamilton, First Secretary for Political and Economical Affairs at Canadian High Commission in New Delhi.

The visiting dignitary had asked Geelani specifically about the possibility of Taliban involvement in Kashmir after the pull-out of NATO forces from Afghanistan.
Geelani reaffirmed that people of Jammu and Kashmir won’t accept any option for resolving Kashmir issue other than UN resolutions.

“We are not against the meaningful dialogue but the Government of India does not show any readiness for it,” said Geelani while adding that the international community should take an initiative for resolving Kashmir issue.

“The people of Jammu & Kashmir would strive for their right to self-determination and won’t accept substitute solutions or accept dictations both from India and Pakistan. The forced control on Jammu Kashmir has resulted in the overall deterioration of state’s economy and Indian authorities are hell bent on making us dependant even for petty and ordinary things,” said Geelani, adding that it is the moral obligation of the international community to help and support the just cause of Kashmiri people.
“Since 1952 India and Pakistan were involved in negotiations and till now both the countries have discussed the mutual issues more than 150 times but to no avail. These talks failed to yield any result on Kashmir issue,” Geelani said.

Rejecting the four-point formula of Parvez Musharaf, Geelani termed it nothing but status quo which not acceptable to the people of Jammu Kashmir. “We have rejected it and there is no point to discuss it now,” he said, adding, “Ours is a just demand and we are striving for a solution as per aspirations of people. If majority of people vote and favour India, we will accept the people’s verdict.”

Apprising the Canadian secretary about the historical background of Kashmir issue, Geelani said, “The Government of India is on prowl to loot J&K’s resources. It deteriorated the state economy which has resulted in unemployment among youth. We have ample water recourses and electricity but all these resources are being utilized for Indian states leaving Jammu & Kashmir in worst economic crisis. Millions of hectors of land have been forcibly occupied by Indian forces. Five lakh laborers from other states of India have been pushed into valley and this has badly affected and influenced the local social fabric and culture besides increasing unemployment among local artisans and workers. Indian authorities have its multidimensional programme to influence and distort the freedom sentiment and dilute the Kashmir issue. Indian agencies have made the educational institutions their launching pad for malicious initiatives. They with their sinister designs are hell-bent to influence the youth. For this purpose educational system is their prime target. They with their evil intention are promoting waywardness and even drug addiction among youth is being encouraged.”

Denying that people are against Amarnath Yatra, Geelani said, “We are concerned about the politics being played under its garb and the way they have extended the specified period and number of yatris. The matter of concern for us that extended yatra duration and number of yartis have badly affected the environment in the area.”