'No amount of digression can hide deflect the fact that the PM's visit was badly conceived, planned and executed,' argues Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
Say it is a 'betrayal' of the Kashmir cause.
Russia on Thursday ruled out playing a role in resolving the Kashmir problem, saying India and Pakistan are capable of settling their outstanding issues themselves.
'Thackeray could organise, but lacked a vision and wisdom to take it further. The man who boasted that if he were prime minister for a day, he would solve the Kashmir problem permanently, could not halt Mumbai's slide into an urban nightmare despite his wielding supreme authority over the city government for decades,' says Shreekant Sambrani.
Mufti's political graph shows his fondness for courting unpopular, politically hazardous ventures in pursuit of his ultimate objective to vindicate his leadership. Towards the end of his life, Mufti's public profile had come to assume the dimensions of statesmanship. One reason being his willingness to learn from his experience, says Mohammad Sayeed Malik.
'The subject is controversial, very controversial.' 'But then Alia is Mahesh Bhatt's daughter.
Centre's interlocutors on Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday said there was a need for reducing the trust deficit between the government and the people, but confidence building measures and focus on development should not distract the pursuit of a political settlement. "CBMs and development should not distract from finding a political settlement to the Jammu and Kashmir problem while a political settlement should also not impede the development scenario," said Dileep Padgaonkar
The People's Democratic Party on Sunday pledged 'absolute support to create an atmosphere conducive to initiate a serious effort for the resolution of Kashmir problem'.Addressing a public meeting in Jammu, PDP patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed spelled out four conditions 'for creation of a conducive atmosphere'. "Release of political prisoners as well as hundreds of innocent youth languishing in different jails is a must," he said.
Union Home Minister P Chidambaram said the contours of a political solution to the Kashmir problem were expected to emerge in the next few months.
'In one instance of the Pakistani army's violation of the Ceasefire, I ordered a far tougher response designed to deter the enemy.' 'I warned that 'unexpected damage' to their forces will be inflicted if they continued with such ceasefire violations.' A fascinating excerpt from Lieutenant General K Himalay Singh's Making of a General: A Himalayan Echo.
Frankly, who does Dr Singh want to talk to and what is his big magical prescription for a Kashmir 'breakthrough'?
Pakistan sought an "early and full resumption" of the dialogue process with India, saying it wants constructive, sustained and result-oriented talks on all issues, including the Kashmir problem.
Pakistan on Thursday expressed hope that United States President Barack Obama would make efforts to resolve the Kashmir problem during his visit to India in November, saying it has always encouraged its 'friends' to use their influence with New Delhi on the issue.
Pakistan said on Thursday it will adopt a "positive and constructive" approach to its upcoming talks with India with a view to resolving all outstanding issues, including the Kashmir problem, on the basis of sovereign equality and mutual respect.
Contrary to expectations, Union home minister P Chidambaram on Wednesday did not make a direct offer to the separatists for a dialogue, but said the Central government was working to find a unique and acceptable solution to the Jammu and Kashmir problem.
Union Home Minister P Chidambaram said there was a marked improvement in the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir. Chidambaram made these comments while addressing an All India Editors Conference on Society and Infrastructure in Srinagar.
For a long-term solution to the Kashmir problem, there is no substitute to opening a mass debate with representatives of all regions of the state and not just the valley, says Colonel Anil Athale (retd).
With the Centre grappling to bring peace in restive Kashmir after the killing of Hizbul commander Burhan Wani, the slain militant's father Muzaffar Wani met Art of Living Founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar at his ashram in Bengaluru.
The Pakistani prime minister urged the special envoys to ensure their efforts for highlighting the Kashmir cause across the world.
He said time has come for freedom of PoK and it would be part of India soon.
Condemning the attack on separatist leader Fazal Haq Qureshi, Hurriyat Conference on Saturday said it will not be cowed down by such acts and will pursue the path of dialogue for resolving the Kashmir problem.
Congratulating Narendra Modi for his party's landslide victory in Lok Sabha polls, Peoples Democratic Party patriarch Mufti Mohammad Sayeed said he was hopeful the new BJP government would take tangible steps in finding a lasting solution to the Kashmir problem.
Pakistan has welcomed United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's remarks that New Delhi and Islamabad should settle the Kashmir problem bilaterally, and said it looked forward to resumption of the composite dialogue between the two countries to discuss the issue. "The two countries have agreed to discuss this issue bilaterally by agreeing to the composite dialogue framework. And Kashmir dispute is a part of that framework," said Foreign Office spokesman Abdul Basit.
The moderate faction of Hurriyat Conference on Sunday welcomed Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's offer to engage separatists for talks on Kashmir issue, and said it had no conditions as "dialogue and conditionalities don't go together".
With the government planning to initiate a 'quiet dialogue, quiet diplomacy' to find a political solution to the Kashmir problem, Union minister and former chief minister Farooq Abdullah on Wednesday expressed hope that the process will give results.
United States Congressman James Moran, a Democrat from Virginia, who hosted the 10th International Kashmir Peace Conference on Capitol Hill, believes the Kashmir problem between India and Pakistan also involves the issue of water. In his opening remarks, Moran lamented, "While the United States has been fighting a war in Afghanistan that we read about everyday, there has been another conflict -- one that is older and arguably more complex."
Chairman of moderate faction of Hurriyat Conference, Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, deliberately chose the national day of Kashmir on Monday to protest against the Centre -- for not including the people of the state in finding out an amicable solution to the Jammu and Kashmir problem by holding talks with Pakistan.
A general shutdown called by All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) headed by Mirwaiz Moulvi Umar Farooq on Thursday affected normal life across summer capital Srinagar and other district headquarters of the valley.
'Once the violence is contained, the politicians must play their role, but unfortunately that is not happening.'
"The way out is through dialogue. Use your friends... Use them for dialogue to resolve the issue," he said.
Harinder Baweja, editor (news) of Tehelka.com, argues that the main reason that a resolution of this problem had been elusive was because of "India's mind-set."
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has said that the Kashmir issue was a political problem that could not be resolved by administrative or security measures.Calling for good relations between India and Pakistan as they directly impact peace in the state, he said his people's primary focus remains on a lasting solution to the Kashmir problem through political means, with participation of all stakeholders.
'We should give azaadi to Jammu and Ladakh from the domination of Kashmir valley politics,' suggests Colonel Anil A Athale (retd).
An official statement quoted Gillani as saying that "the resolution of (the) Kashmir issue in accordance with the wishes of the people of Kashmir could ensure lasting peace in the region and bring about much needed progress and prosperity for the people." He also said that Pakistan "believes in the peaceful resolution of the Kashmir issue through dialogue" and expressed "confidence that India would also reciprocate positively in this regard."
Against the backdrop of a diplomatic storm sparked by British Foreign Secretary David Miliband's attempt to link the Kashmir problem to terrorism, Britain on Friday said it was for India and Pakistan to resolve the issue through dialogue, and its not for UK to prescribe a solution.
'The new generation of teenagers which has taken the forefront is largely an amorphous, leaderless mass.' 'It is extremely difficult to find a representative with whom to negotiate now, unless one turns to a militant leader.'
'...by stopping its promotion of turmoil, its aid and abetment to militancy.' 'Mr Vajpayee paved the road for peace by engaging Pakistan tirelessly while also reaching out to Kashmiri leaders and people at large.' 'Like so often in the past, this government does not have a policy. No consistency in approach.'
Advani, the leader of opposition in Parliament, said although he encouraged the composite dialogue process between India and Pakistan, he believed that other issues, like information and commerce, should precede Kashmir.Although the Kashmir problem would take time to resolve, Advani was optimistic that a day would come when India and Pakistan would form a confederation to solve the issue.He stressed that cross-border terrorism is a serious bone of contention.
'Gotabaya will expect India to observe the red line.' 'He even dispensed with any gesture welcoming India as an interlocutor on the Tamil issue.' points out Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
Former Pakistani Generals, including ex-army chief Mirza Aslam Beg, have criticised President Pervez Musharraf's handling of the Kashmir problem and said there could be no long-term friendship with India unless the issue is resolved.
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