NEW DELHI: The prominent Kashmiri leader Shabbir Ahmed Shah who has been in prison for the last 20 years for espousing the cause of self-determination of his people feels that the only way of resolving the Kashmir issue was by peaceful means and through a dialogue
I believe that dialogue should be unconditional. When we do not allow anybody to impose his views on us how shall we impose our views on others who do not share their views with us A dialogue and not the gun holds the key to resolving the conflict he says.
Shah who was declared a prisoner of conscience by the Amnesty International and has been often described as Nelson Mandela of South Asia reportedly made several significant observations during a meeting with Prof. Riyaz Punjabi of the Jawaharlal Nehru University in the Jammu jail recently.
He is at present charged under the TADA and completed 20 years in jail on June 18. His supporters and followers organized several meetings seminars and conferences in Jammu and Kashmir New Delhi Muzaffarabad in Pok the U.K. and the U.S. to mark the occasion. The leader of the Peoples Leagues censored over the infiltration of criminal elements within the ranks of militants. He said Criminalization of the militant’s movement should immediately stop to prevent the movement from deviating from its goals and ends
We have to think about the people and their sufferings. They have wholeheartedly given us their cooperation. Anybody wielding a gun cannot be allowed to hold them to ransom. Therefore stress the great urgency of a peaceful dialogue he told Prof. Punjabi who was once closely associated with the law department in the Kashmir University.
Article extracted from this publication >> July 1, 1994
