Srinagar, Oct 3: Ahead of the United States President, Barrack
Obama’s scheduled visit to India next month, two officials from the
American Embassy in New Delhi on Sunday met the front The Jammu Kashmir Liberation
Front Chairman, Muhammad Yasin Malik, here to know his views and assess
the situation in the disputed state of Kashmir.
.
Mr. Yaseen Malik maintained that as a strategic
alliance of India and Pakistan, the United States could impress upon
both the countries to resolve the long-standing Kashmir dispute.
The
officials, Kailash Jha and Pushpinder Dhillon met Malik for nearly an
hour and discussed several issues including the situation in Valley.
“The Valley has been turned into a jail from the last four months. The
people are reeling under continuous curfew since Eid. 110 civilians
mostly teenagers have been killed by the troopers and cops. Hundreds of
youth have been arrested and are languishing in jails. There is no
accountability and rule of law and the men in uniform have been given
license to kill,” Malik told the visiting officials.
Yaseen Malik said the
Kashmir dispute had consumed four generations. “Kashmiris were forced to
take guns in 1989 when government of India used its military might to
crush their non-violent movement for the right to self-determination.
The US had played an imperative role in motivating the Kashmiris to shun
the gun and start a peaceful process for the resolution of Kashmir. But
India is leaving no stone unturned to suppress the aspirations of
Kashmiris,” Yaseen Malik said.
Yaseen Malik maintained that the ongoing movement
was being led by Kashmiri youth. “India has even snatched a space for
them to register their protests peacefully. If the suppressive policies
continue, Kashmiri youth will be forced to take the violent path again
to achieve their goal. It is high time to acknowledge and respect the
aspirations and sacrifices of Kashmiris and resolve the dispute in
accordance with their wishes,” he said.
Malik told the officials that by virtue of being in strategic alliance of India and Pakistan, the US act could be a catalyst to resolve the dispute.
“The US can use
its rapport and friendly relations with Islamabad and New Delhi and
impress upon them to resolve the dispute permanently for restoring peace
in Valley and south Asia,” he said.
The diplomats however refused to
talk to the media. Malik also reserved his comments on whether the
diplomats met him in the backdrop of Obama’s visit to India.
Pertinently
Obama has been stressing upon New Delhi to settle the Kashmir dispute
if it wanted a ticket in the UN Security Council membership. “Go for a
Kashmir solution and help bring stability to the region for a ticket to
UN Security Council membership and fulfilling your big power
aspirations.” Obama according to reports has conveyed to New Delhi.
