Mirwaiz asks Modi to positively respond to Imran Khan’s offers

SRINAGAR: Chairman of Hurriyat Forum Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has asked the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to give peace a real chance by positively responding to his Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan’s repeated offers of engagement.

Addressing a Friday congregation at Jamia Masjid in Srinagar, occupied Kashmir, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said, “Narendra Modi should positively respond to Imran Khan’s repeated offers of engagement so that both could build trust and give peace a real chance.”

He said that military approach to issues could never succeed but human approach to them as witnessed in the opening of Kartarpur Corridor was the best way forward.

The Hurriyat leader urged the Indian government to stop the killing of Kashmiri youth and blinding them by pellets.

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He said that India should show the maturity of a democracy “they claim to be” by engaging with Pakistan and Kashmir and resolving this lingering dispute in a peaceful manner.

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday expressed disappointment at India’s “negative” response to Pakistan’s peace overtures, saying one-sided efforts to normalise ties between the two neighbouring countries will not yield results.

The premier said India needed to respond to Pakistan’s gestures for peace to move ahead to address the longstanding disputes souring bilateral ties.

He reiterated that both the countries should break free from the shackles of the past, saying: “We cannot move forward if we continue to live in the past instead of leaving it behind and learning from it.”

“Our conflicts are impediment to development of the region,” said the prime minister.

“There is no people-to-people animosity, but the governments in both countries have issues,” he said and added Pakistan is making efforts to improve ties but unfortunately India is not reciprocating its peace gestures.