'United State of Kashmir called for'

Jammu, Apr 18: Moderate Hurriyat Chairman Mirwaiz Omar Farooq has called for a ''United State'' of Kashmir, which will include the PoK and Gilgit region besides Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh.

Addressing a public meeting at Mendhar near Poonch yesterday, the Mirwaiz reiterated demilitarisation of the strife-torn state.

He said Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf had agreed to pull out troops from the Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir and India should also consider a similar move.

Gen Musharraf had also assured him that Islamabad will honour any solution to the Kashmir issue, which was acceptable to the Kashmiri people, he said.

Elaborating on his proposal for a 'United State', the Mirwaiz said, ''There should be separate assemblies for each region, which should be coordinated by a joint Parliament'', he added.

Without naming Syed Ali Shah Geelani led hardline Hurriyat faction, he said, ''Some of our colleagues are not happy with the dialogue process and they are going to create impediments in its way.''

UNI