Vakil apprises Patil of meeting with Musharraf

New Delhi, Mar 16 (UNI) Senior Jammu and Kashmir Congress leader Abdul Ghani Vakil today apprised Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil of his meeting with Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf in Islamabad.

Talking to UNI, Mr Vakil, who attended the three-day Pugwash international conference on Kashmir in Islamabad, said he briefed Mr Patil and Centre's interlocutor on Jammu and Kashmir N N Vohra about his Pakistan visit.

''I held a detailed discussion with President Musharraf and Pakistan Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri... and today I discussed the meetings and the Pugwash conference with Mr Patil,'' he added.

During the visit, Mr Vakil also met 'Prime Minister' of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) Sardar Sikandar Hayat Khan.

He said the Kashmir conference was a historical meeting and will help in resolving the vexed issue.

''Dialogue process can only resolve the long-drawn Kashmir issue and people should not shy away from it... it is the only option to restore permanent peace in the state and put an end to bloodshed,'' he said.

Mr Vakil said the efforts and initiatives of Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had helped improving the situation and restore peace in Jammu and Kashmir.

UNI SMA/NR VD RK1900