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| No qualms about being called a separatist: Mufti | | | EARLY TIMES REPORT
SRINAGAR, Apr 22: Former Chief Minister and patron Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Mufti Mohammed Sayeed today said he does not mind if he is called a separatist.
"It will not tarnish my image if you call me a separatist," the former chief minister told reporters here.
He was replying to a question on whether People's Democratic Party, which has announced protests on April 26, was having any understanding with the moderate faction of Hurriyat Conference which was planning to hold a sit-in on April 24.
"There are similarities in our demands but on certain issues it is not so.
"We and the separatists are demanding resolution of Kashmir issue, revocation of Armed Forces Special Powers Act, reduction of troops and release of prisoners", he said, adding "it will not tarnish my image if you call me a separatist".
Terming the "quiet diplomacy" proposed by Union Minister P Chidambaram for resolution of Kashmir issue as a futile exercise, Sayeed pressed the Government to restart dialogue with Pakistan.
"We want a permanent solution to the Kashmir issue for which PDP will launch peoples movement from April 26 to press India and Pakistan to resume comprehensive dialogue for resolution of the problem," the PDP patron said.
He dubbed the recent foreign-secretary level talks as "cosmetic" and hoped that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Pakistani counterpart Yousuf Raza Gilani would meet on the sidelines of SAARC Summit next week.
In reply to a question, he said when India had no problem talking to former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf despite Kargil war and Parliament attack, "why can't it talk to an elected government of Pakistan?
"Lasting peace cannot be restored in the sub-continent unless India resolves the Kashmir issue with Pakistan," Sayeed said.
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