Shabir Shah for tri-partite talks

Incarcerated Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party (DFP) president Shabir Shah favours tripartite talks for resolving the Kashmir issue.

India, Pakistan and Kashmiris should be involved in the talks to resolve the lingering problem, Shah, who was arrested under the public safety act last year, said.

Besides, militants should also be taken into confidence, Shah, who is undergoing treatment in a hospital in Jammu, told an emissary of the Union government, claimed a DFP spokesman here.

He said the Centre had sent its emissary to Shah to know his views on resolving the Kashmir issue. Officials here neither confirmed nor denied DFP's claim.

Shah said talks between India and Pakistan in the past had failed because Kashmiris, the basic party to the issue, were not involved in the parleys.

"Unless Kashmir issue is resolved as per wishes of its people, the ties between India and Pakistan cannot improve," he said.

"Kashmir is a political issue and it should be resolved politically," Shah said.