Kashmir issue can be solved politically and not militarily: Separatist groups

The separatist groups, which have been jointly spearheading the 98-day-long unrest in the valley, Friday said the Kashmir issue can be solved politically and not militarily.

The separatist groups—two factions of Hurriyat Conference and JKLF—conveyed this in a letter to Governor N N Vohra, which was released to the media after authorities imposed curfew and strict restrictions to foil their proposed march to Raj Bhavan.

In the letter, they wrote, “... You very well know that the problem of Kashmir is essentially a political problem in need of a political solution.... It is your moral duty to convey (to the) Indian State to accept that Kashmir is a political problem and hence can only be resolved politically and not militarily.”

It added, “Wars have been fought, thousands of lives lost, blood spilled but to no avail.” The separatists said that because of non-resolution of this issue, “the whole region lives in a state of fear, uncertainty and mistrust.”