India must fulfill plebiscite commitment in J

New Delhi, Nov 14 (UNI) Hardline Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani today asked Pakistan to ensure that India ''fulfills its commitment to hold a plebiscite'' in Jammu and Kashmir, as part of the UN resolution on the vexed issue, and allow the ''people to decide their fate''.

Mr Geelani, who held an over two hour meeting with visiting Pakistan Foreign Secretary Riaz Mohammad Khan here, told UNI that conducting plebiscite in the state was the only ''way to restore peace in the state''.

''India must give the people of Jammu and Kashmir the opportunity to decide their own fate and they must decide on their own whether they want to stay with India or Pakistan,'' he said.

''India must accept Kashmir as dispute and release all jailed Kashmiri people and withdraw its forces from Jammu and Kashmir to make the dialogue meaningful and result-oriented,'' he said.

The pro-Pakistan separatist leader rejected all CBMs between India and Pakistan on Kashmir, saying the ''right to self determination'' can not be replaced.

''We reject all the roadmaps being put forward in the name of self-rule, autonomy, status quo or softening of Line of Control.

UN resolutions, which grant the people of Jammu and Kashmir the right of self-determination, is the only solution to the issue of Kashmir,'' he added.

About the Foreign Secretary-level talks, Mr Geelani, who held discussions with a Pakistani official after almost two years, said he did not expect any movement forward on Kashmir.

Mr Geelani said he also raised the issue of human rights violations in Kashmir with Mr Khan during the meeting held at the Pakistan House.

Mr Khan, who is holding a series of meetings with Kashmiri separatists, was assisted by several Pakistani officials, including Director-General (South Asia) Jalil Abbas Jilani, Pakistan's outgoing High Commissioner to India Aziz Ahmed Khan and High Commissioner-designate Shahid Malik.

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