Pakistan, India urged to resume talks for betterment of region

DUBAI: The two-day dialogue between opinion makers, influential persons of the society and government has concluded almost a thousand miles away from Pakistan and India’s media hype and public eye here in Dubai.

Well-placed sources informed The News that both the representative countries have agreed to stress on their respective governments to initiate government level productive talks as soon as possible. The official talks between India and Pakistan began several times but are currently stalled and have yet to settle the longstanding conflict in and around Jammu and Kashmir.

Former ISI chief lieutenant general (R) Mohammad Asad Durrani, former chairman joint chiefs of staff committee general (R) Ehsanul Haq, Shah Ghulam Qadir (PML-N AJK), Chaudhry Latif Akbar (PPP AJK), Abdur Rashid Turabi (JI AJK), Amjad Yousuf, Columnist Irshad Mehmood, Dr Shaheen Akhtar (National Defence University Islamabad) and others from Pakistan participated in the dialogue. While, Air Vice Marshal (R) Kapil Kak, Vikram J. (BJP), Nasir Aslam (National Conference), Aslam Karbalaye (Congress), Faiz Naqsh Bandi (Hurriyat), Human Rights activist Khurram Pervez, Shujaat Bukhari (Editor Rising Kashmir), Senior journalist Iftikhar Gilani and few others highlighted the issues faced by the region and floated the ideas to improve the relations of two nuclear nations.

In the dialogue, they asked Pakistan and Indian government to restore process of negotiation for the betterment of the region and common man of both the countries. The dialogues are being held by a London-based-independent organisation, Conciliation Resources. The purpose of the body is to prevent violence, resolve conflicts and promote peaceful societies.

Participants stated that the dialogues were being considered as first step in the right direction. They expressed a hope that it would provide a great help to break the ice between the governments. “Pakistan-India talks behind the doors for the restoration of trust between the two nuclear nations would create some space for the peace of South Asia”, one of the participant hopefully expressed his views with The News after the dialogue.

During the dialogue, opinion makers also demanded from the armies of the regions to ceasefire across Line of Control (LoC) as more than 10,000 Kashmiris have been displaced due to recent firing incidents across LoC. Speakers regretfully added that the LoC firing incidents already claimed many innocent lives so it should be stopped immediately. Recently, United Nation received complaints from both countries of ceasefire violations.

Participants also emphasised the decision makers of both countries to find out the long-lasting Kashmir issue for the peace of South Asia. In Jammu and Kashmir region, representatives of Pakistan and India including Kashmiris also deeply concerned on the human rights violation.

Representatives from both the sides also demanded to re-start Intra-Kashmir trade and Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus service that bus service has been suspended for the last few weeks due to tension between Pakistan and India.