Merely boosting India-Pakistan trust will not solve Kashmir issue: Shabir Shah

Srinagar, May 4 (ANI): Separatist leader Shabir Shah has said the pursuit of confidence-building measures between India and Pakistan would not necessarily end the deadlock over Kashmir.

Shah, who is the founder and the chief of the Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party (JKDFP), said while moves such as boosting trade and reducing visa strictures was beneficial for bilateral relations, Kashmir was a 'core' issue and the sentiments of its people must be made a top priority.

"We believe that confidence-building measures are justified in their own way, but the opening of closed routes, promoting bilateral trade, easing of visa strictures, as well as political, cultural and educational exchanges between both countries will not provide a solution to the issue of Kashmir," Shah told media here.

Shah also appreciated the visit of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to India in April.

"The statements made by Ban Ki-moon during his visit to India were morale-boosting. We thank him on behalf of the people of Kashmir. We should have been in Delhi at the time to register our protest, but unfortunately, we could not reach there," he said.

He further said that the Hurriyat Conference needed to be institutionalized and organised better if it was to take on successfully a large political entity such as India.

"The Hurriyat conference should be institutionalized and given a structure, with a chairman, vice-chairman and secretary-general, and a proper division of work. Politically, we are contending with a very large country (India) for our independence, because of which we need to work at all levels," he said. (ANI)