Prominent separatist leader Syed Shabir Ahmed Shah on Thursday cautioned India and Pakistan against seeking to freeze the Kashmir issue or put it on the backburner in order to improve their trade and cultural relations saying the people of the state will not be a party to any such arrangement. “Kashmir is the core issue between the two countries and other troubles be it Siachen, Sir Creek or trade and cultural gaps are only offshoots of Kashmir problem,” he asserted.
Reacting to reports purporting that “behind the scene” discussions are underway between New Delhi and Islamabad to put Kashmir aside and turn the corner on other issues especially trade.
Mr Shah said, “I understand they are under pressure to do it but even if they decide to freeze Kashmir to perk up elsewhere the freedom struggle being spearheaded by us is an indigenous one and no bilateral understanding will impinge on it.”
Mr Shah who heads J&K Democratic Freedom Party, however, hastened to add that Islamabad has assured that it will not make any move that may undermine the “freedom struggle” of the people of the state.
He said the assurance was repeated during latest direct contact between the two sides during the Pakistan day celebrations at the country’s high commission in New Delhi on March 23.
“A visiting Pakistani federal minister was also present at the interaction who and also the country’s High Commissioner to India reassured us that Islamabad will continue to extend its moral, diplomatic and political support to our just freedom struggle,” Mr Shah said.