After decades of stalemate, Pakistan, India must find fresh ways to resolve Kashmir: US Group

WASHINGTON: "After decades of failure to resolve the lingering dispute over Kashmir, Pakistan and India must look into new measures to settle the issue within a reasonable time frame, a US-based Kashmiri group said, but emphasized that any negation of the principle of the will and sentiments of the Kashmiri people would not be acceptable.

In a statement issued here, Dr. Ghulam Nabi Fai, Secretary General of the World Kashmir Awareness Forum said that the Joint Resistance Leadership in Kashmir has shown willingness to talk provided the Indian government clarifies the parameters of talks. He said that in all such talks sentiments of the Kashmiri people must be recognized.

Dr. Fai observed that there was a need to have a fresh thinking to cut the Gordian knot in Kashmir as all bilateral efforts between Pakistan and India made in the past 70 years have failed to break the deadlock.

"All parties concerned the Governments of India & Pakistan and the leadership of the people of Kashmir -- should recognize the necessity of adjusting or re-thinking the modalities of implementing any plan to suit present-day circumstances," he said.

However, he made it clear that any negation of the principle of the will and sentiments of the people of Kashmir, who want to decide their own future, would not be acceptable.

The Kashmiri leader said that all international conflicts ultimately were resolved on the negotiating table, and the world powers should become deeply engaged in order to make sure that the peace process between India and Pakistan once initiated does not get derailed.

"They (world powers) can play a bridge building to bring parties together so that the animosity is done away with and the dawn of dialogue and engagement is sustained. They need to make sure that the policy of conflict resolution adopted by both New Delhi and Islamabad over the Kashmir dispute is consistent, coherent, transparent and dependable."

Dr. Fai noted that the United Nations have been urging India and Pakistan to keep talking to each other, but added that to expect a breakthrough in talks is to ask for miracles.

"It would be irresponsible on our part to encourage the hope that if the Governments of India and Pakistan are willing to depart from the stand of principle, the compromise will be endorsed by the people of Kashmir," he said.

Dr. Fai said that the settlement of the Kashmir dispute could not be achieved in one move, but that should not be made an excuse to keep postponing the initiation of the process on that account.

"What is desperately needed is an affirmation by Prime Ministers of India and Pakistan of the necessity of taking new measures to effect the settlement of the dispute within a reasonable time frame," he said while adding that, to that end, both countries must together prepare a plan for the demilitarization of the State with safeguards for security worked out together.

"Peace in the region would benefit not only those who are directly impacted by this conflict“ Kashmiris - but India as well.