Jammu, May 17
The Democratic Freedom Party chief, Mr Shabir Ahmed Shah, who three days ago seemed in a hurry to finalise his response to the offer for talks has now decided to take his time.
“The 52-year-old problem cannot be settle within days,” he said when asked why he had delayed a decision on the same. He made it clear that he had accepted in principle the need for holding a dialogue on the Kashmir issue.
Mr Shah emphatically denied he was either under pressure from certain quarters or under threat from pro-Pakistan forces which had forced him to announce his participation in the talks.
“I am one person who has not asked for a security cover from the government while other separatist leaders who claim to be representatives of people have security guards at their residence and they move out under a security cover.” “I face no threat from any quarter and I am not the man to buckle under threats.”
He blamed National Conference leaders for the “stories” about “my stand on the talks” because the NC leadership had been unnerved by the government announcement to hold talks with separatists.
Mr Shah, endorsing the government offer for talks, said he had not set any condition when he received an invitation from the government chief negotiator, Mr K.C. Pant, for a visit to Delhi. In reply to a question, Mr Shah said whether Mr Pant visited Kashmir or “I visited Delhi is hardly a matter of dispute.”
Informed sources said the DFP chief is under pressure from his close associates to play safe. His colleagues have advised him not to take a hasty decision least he may have to alone paddle his boat in the troubled waters of Kashmir.
After he parted company with the APHC, Mr Shah’s stature has suffered a setback. When he was in the Hurriyat Conference, he was a much-talked-about leader in the 23-member conglomerate. His acceptance of the offer for talks close on the heels of the Hurriyat’s rejection has allowed Mr Shabir Shah an opportunity to steal a march over the APHC. Naturally the APHC leadership is dismayed. But since yesterday, several APHC leaders have expressed happiness over the turn of the events as they believe that Mr Shah has adopted “delaying tactics” to avoid trouble.
Despite the fact that the Hurriyat Conference leaders were aware that Mr Shah alone could not clinch the issue as far as the settlement of the Kashmir issue was concerned, they were still uneasy, fearing that the DFP chief may turn the tide against them.”
The APHC chairman, Prof Abdul Gani Bhat, said today that Mr Shah and others of his (Shah’s) political stature would not achieve anything if they accepted the offer for talks because those who mattered in the current situation had to be involved.
He said there was no purpose in holding talks with Mr Pant on restoration of peace and law and order. “I do not hold the gun. Hence, I can do nothing for the restoration of peace’, he said, adding that “those who wield the gun have to be talked to and for this the involvement of Pakistan in the proposed parleys is essential.”
He said if talks were meant for the restoration of peace and for the settlement of the Kashmir issue and, “we had offered to visit Pakistan to hold discussions with leaders of various militant outfits but this was not allowed. Still the government talked in terms of peace and the settlement of the Kashmir issue.”
Whatever stand the DFP chief ultimately takes, for the time being it is advantage National Conference. If the DFP the APHC and others refuse to hold talks with Mr Pant or the government the NC leadership will get a chance to make itself indispensable.
