Srinagar
Separatist leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Friday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to “positively respond” to his Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan’s “repeated offer of engagement”.

The separatist leader urged Modi to positively respond to Pakistan PM’s “repeated offer of engagement so that both can build trust and give peace a real chance”.
Mirwaiz, who is the chairman of a faction of the Hurriyat Conference and also part of the joint resistance leadership, said New Delhi should “show the maturity of democracy” and engage with Pakistan to resolve Kashmir dispute in a “peaceful manner”.

“I appeal to the Government of India to stop the killing of the Kashmiri youth and blinding them by pellets and show the maturity of a democracy they claim to be, by engaging with Pakistan and Kashmir and resolving this long-standing dispute in a peaceful manner,” Mirwaiz said while addressing a congregation at Jamia Masjid here.

The separatist leaders in the Kashmir valley are upbeat over the recent political developments between India and Pakistan, which include the opening of the visa-free corridor for Sikh pilgrims and also by their recent meeting with former Prime Minister of Norway.

Mirwaiz, along with another separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani, had met the former Norwegian Prime Minister last week and welcomed his offer of mediation to resolve the Kashmir issue.