Dialogue process meaningless: Geelani

JAMMU: Terming the dialogue process between India and Pakistan as a meaningless exercise, Hurriyat hawk Syed Ali Shah Geelani on Wednesday said the Kashmir issue should be resolved in consonance with aspirations of the people of the state.
     
"We will not accept any decision on the matter if it is not in consonance with aspirations of the people of Kashmir," he said.
     
The Chairman of the hardline faction of the Hurriyat Conference was commenting on media reports suggesting that India and Pakistan might reach some agreement on the Kashmir issue.
     
"We will wait till the agreement between the two nations is made public and then react appropriately," he said.
     
Geelani said the solution to the Kashmir issue lay in giving people the right of self-determination.
     
He termed the talks between India and Pakistan and between the Centre and the people of Kashmir to resolve the issue as futile exercises.
     
There had been more than 130 such exercises since 1947 to resolve the Kashmir issue, the Hurriyat hardliner said.
     
"These exercises are meaningless and cannot not be result-oriented unless the people of Jammu and Kashmir are given the right of self-determination," he said.
      
Geelani demanded withdrawal of special powers conferred on security forces in the state.