Pol parties, separatists welcome outcome of Indo-Pak talks

Srinagar, July 27 (PTI) Ruling National Conference,
opposition PDP and separatists were on the same page on
Wednesday when they welcomed the Indo-Pak Foreign Ministers
meeting and the announcement of Kashmir-centric confidence
building measures to ease trade and travel across the LoC.
Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) also
welcomed CBMs on cross-Line of Control (LoC) trade, but said
the trading community expected more including launching of
trade through banking channel.
Immediately after a joint statement was released in
New Delhi announcing increasing of days of trading from two to
four and other CBM on cross-LoC trade and travel, Jammu and
Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah termed them as a "good
step".
Indian External Affairs Minister S M Krishna and his
Pakistani counterpart Hina Rabbani Khar announced additional
CBMs related to Kashmir, including increasing cross-LoC
trading days and expanding travel to include tourism and
religious aspects.
The two Ministers also held discussions on the issue
of Jammu and Kashmir and agreed to the need for continued
discussions, in a purposeful and forward looking manner, with
a view to finding a peaceful solution by narrowing divergences
and building convergences.
Welcoming the resolve to continue talks on Kashmir,
moderate Hurriyat Conference said talks have to be a
continuous process and Kashmiris should be included in it to
make it fruitful.
"It is a welcome sign that New Delhi and Islamabad
have reiterated their resolve to continue the dialogue," its
Chairman Mirwaiz Umer Farooq said. (More) PTI MIJ
ASR
The Mirwaiz also welcomed Confidence-Building Measures
(CBMs) announced by the two countries with regard to cross-Loc
trade and travel but stressed the need for implementing the
suggestions made by the amalgam for improving the ground
situation in Kashmir.
The hardline faction of the Hurriyat, led by Syed Ali
Shah Geelani, however, said CBMs would only be a superficial
measure till the core issue of Kashmir was not addressed.
Opposition PDP also welcomed the outcome of talks
between the two countries and said the measures announced
after in the joint statement was a step towards making the
state another Economic Free Zone (EFC).
Party patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed the measures indicate
a significant progress in carrying forward the peace process
and building of trust between the two neighbors that is
important for finding a lasting solution to Jammu and Kashmir.
He said expanding trade across LOC was a significant
progress and it was heartening that the list of items was
being reviewed which could add more substance to it and open
immense possibilities of employment and prosperity in all
regions.
KCCI president Nazir Ahmad Dar told PTI "it is a welcome
development but we were expecting more."
Dar said it was disappointing that there was no mention
of the basic demands of the cross-LoC traders like banking
facilities and scrapping of the trading list.
"Banking facility is the basic requirement of any trade.
We had also demanded that the items allowed for trade through
LoC routes should be expanded and the trade itself should be
demand driven," he said. PTI