A day after New Delhi termed Pakistan’s latest peace overtures as ‘‘inadequate’’, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed — one of the biggest advocates of Indo-Pak bonhomie — today said it was essential that Pakistan used its influence to ensure a ceasefire inside Kashmir to kick start a meaningful peace process. ‘‘Prime Minister A B Vajpayee has put his entire political career and credibility on stake when he offered a hand of friendship to Pakistan here last month,’’ Sayeed said in an exclusive interview with The Indian Express. ‘‘He (Vajpayee) is very keen and has put all the eggs in one basket. Once the dialogue process starts, a single big violent incident would be able to ruin everything. It will, in fact, further destabilise the relations. A complete halt in militant violence inside Kashmir is not just essential for creating a conducive atmosphere for the process, it is imperative for generating faith in such a process in view of experiences like Lahore as well’’. Mufti said he was not confident about any dialogue process that starts without seeking a change on ground situation in J-K. ‘‘Both things cannot go on together,’’ he said. Mufti said the road to reconciliation between the two countries passed through Kashmir. ‘‘There is a serious need to change the mindsets in both the countries and until Kashmir remains captive an land-locked, it cannot happen. There is a belief among the people in Pakistan that we (Kashmiris) live a life of a hostage. They are not fully aware about our state of affairs and same is the case with the rest of the country,’’ he said. ‘‘If the people of North Korea and South Korea can cross the border and meet despite so much of hostility, why not people here?’’ he asked. Mufti strongly advocated opening of the Line of Control (LoC) for people from either side of the divide and said that this will help people to understand the ground situation better. ‘‘But for all this to begin, we need to give peace a chance. Then let a dialogue start and I am sure we will achieve an honourable solution to the problem for Kashmiris,’’ he said. When asked what did he think was that ‘‘honourable’’ solution, Mufti said that he would not like to elaborate. Then, was ensuring a halt in violence inside Kashmir within Pakistan’s hands? Mufti said that if they wished so they could do it easily. ‘‘They (Pakistan) can persuade the main groups and if they declare a ceasefire, it will make a substantial difference on ground here,’’ he said. ‘‘And it is not very difficult for them (Pakistan)’’. Mufti said that the Indo-Pak peace initiative is a ‘‘zig-zag process’’ and a road map should not be pre-meditated but should rather emerge out of an ‘‘evolutionary’’ process. ‘‘It can’t happen over night,’’ he said. ‘‘It will take time and it needs to be handled with care’’. Mufti said that it was great that Prime Minister Vajpayee launched this latest process from Kashmir. ‘‘I am sure that he is very serious and the process he initiated from Srinagar is composite in every way,’’ he said. Mufti believes that the Vohra mission to engage various Kashmiri groups in a dialogue process too is a serious affair. ‘‘Please don’t write off Vohra mission. It is a serious effort,’’ he said. When asked as to why Vohra did not try to engage separatists, he said ‘‘wait and watch’’. Mufti said that this process will take a much serious turn in immediate future. ‘‘It is all connected to the peace process with Pakistan. Let it start, things will start moving on this front as well,’’ Mufti said.
