Trade through LoC would heal Kahmir: Hurriyat Conference

New Delhi, Aug 16 (UNI) Suggesting that opening up of the trade route to Pakistan through LoC would go a long way ''in healing Kashmir'', leader of the moderate faction of the Hurriyat Conference, Mirwaiz Umer Farooque today urged Prime Minister to promise to Kashmiris that India has no objections to it.

Opening of the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road for trade should not be a problem because both the countries have more or less agreed on it, he said in an interview with CNN-IBN TV news channel.

''Now only formalities remain. If there is an announcement by the Prime Minister that we have no objection to opening of the road, that will definitely calm the situation in Kashmir,'' the Mirwaiz said.

He said opening the trade points on the LoC would benefit people of both the regions -- Jammu and the valley.

''If these routes are open, we would get access to markets not only in Paksitan but also in Central Asia,'' he said.

Replying to a question on the Amarnath land transfer crisis, he said all Kashmiris support Amarnath Yatra and they have favoured talks with leaders of the Shri Amarnathji Sangharsh Samiti (SASS) to find a solution.

''We have absolutely to no problem meeting the leaders who are leading the protests in Jammu to try and work out solution to the problem,'' the Mirwaiz said adding that ''We will continue to support the Yatra as we have been a part of it. We are not against anything as fas as providing facilities to Yatris is concerned,'' said the Hurriyat leader.

He also felt the Centre was not responsive to the grievances of the Kashmiris as much as was required.

''For Delhi to listen to Kashmir we need a bomb blast. We need violence in Kashmir, so that the Kashmir issue is alive in the hearts and minds of the people in Delhi. The moment normalcy comes back to Kashmir, they say there is no issue anymore,'' said the Hurriyat leader.

To a question on the Hurriyat stand on Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK), he said his orgnaisation maintained that the Northern Areas and PoK were not part of Pakistan.

''They are as disputed as the areas with the Indian Administration,'' said the Mirwaiz.

On the people shouting pro-Pakistan slogans and demanding 'azadi' (independence) in protest demonstrations in the valley, he said, ''When people shout for azadi and Paksitan, it is not that they are virtually asking for the same. They are saying we need a system of our own. We need authority. We need to be masters of our destiny. That is what the message is from Kashmir.'' UNI NAZ SK HT1838