Salahuddin's involvement in Kashmir talks at later stage: Mufti

Srinagar, Apr 22 (UNI) Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed has asserted that the involvement of United Jehad Council (UJC) chairman Syed Salahuddin in the ongoing talks between India and Pakistan at the present stage would be premature.

''Involving Salahuddin in the ongoing talks between India and Pakistan at this stage would amount to putting a cart behind the horse as the dialogue is a long process,'' he told journalists after addressing a public meeting at Bandzoo village in Pulwama district.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) patron said the completion of the ongoing peace process and restoration of the people's faith in both India and Pakistan was must before involving Salahuddin and other militant leaders in the talks.

He was replying to a question about the demands from various quarters, including the main opposition National Conference (NC), for involving Salahuddin in the ongoing dialogue process.

Besides the Muzaffarabad-based UJC, Salahuddin also heads the Hizbul Mujahideen, the single largest indigenous militant outfit active in Jammu and Kashmir.

''The dialogue is a lengthy process. Talks in Northern Ireland are on for five years,'' he added.

Mr Sayeed said unless a solution to the Kashmir issue was ultimately worked out, involving militant leadership in the dialogue process would not yield any purpose.

In reply to another question, the PDP patron said during his three-year tenure as the Chief Minister, ''time was not ripe for any troop withdrawal in the troubled-state as the situation had not witnessed any favourable change.'' ''The level of crackdowns, encounters and midnight arrests has sharply come down today as compared to the past,'' he added.

At the coming third round-table conference on Jammu and Kashmir in New Delhi on April 24, Mr Sayeed said his party would seek the implementation of the Rasgotra Committee recommendations that favoured the transfer of Dul Hasti project to the state government.

''Rehabilitation of families of the deceased militants and safe passage for the youth from across the border will be our other demands,'' he added.

UNI