Shabir Shah meets Pak Foreign Secy, discusses Kashmir issue

New Delhi, Nov 14 (UNI) Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party president Shabir Ahmed Shah today met Pakistan Foreign Secretary Riaz Mohammad Khan and discussed the Kashmir issue, including demilitarisation and formation of a Working Group of representatives of India, Pakistan and the people of the state.

''We impressed upon Mr Khan to convey to the government of India to demilitarise Jammu and Kashmir at the block level. Custodial killings and human rights violations are rampant and demilitarisation will help infuse confidence among the people of the state,'' Mr Shah said, emerging after the two-hour-long meeting at Pakistan House here.

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

Mr Shah said he had urged Mr Khan to form a Working Group of the representatives of India, Pakistan and the Kashmiri people to resolve the vexed issue. ''The formation of the working group would help in providing the benefits of the Confidence Building Measures to the people of the state.'' ''The confidence building measures taken by New Delhi and Islamabad have no impact at the ground level in Jammu and Kashmir.

I told the Pakistan Foreign Secretary to raise this issue with his Indian counterpart,'' he said.

He stressed that the involvement of the Kashmiri people was essential for a change in the ground situation.

This is the right opportunity for India and Pakistan to create a conducive atmosphere for the restoration of peace in Jammu and Kashmir, Mr Shah said.

''The ball is now in their court...they should seize the chance,'' he added.

The separatist leader said he had requested the Pakistani official to raise the issue of the release of all the detained persons in the state with the Indian government.

UNI NR RR HS1936