Hurriyat Conference condemns Pathankot attack, calls it 'an attempt to derail Pak-India talks'

SRINAGAR (News Desk) - All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC), a group which aims at resolution of Kashmir issue under UN resolutions and is often dubbed as Pakistan backed movement, Thursday condemned Patahnkot attack calling it 'an attempt to derail scheduled talks between Pakistan and India.

After chairing a meeting of Executive Council , the APHC Chairman Mirwaiz Maulvi Umar Farooq said that recent attack on Indian airbase was actually carried by those who want rifts between Islamabad and New Delhi to prolong.

He termed recent developments in Pak-India relationship as encouraging and said that Hurriyat Conference fully supports comprehensive dialogue between two countries. This is a positive progress that prime ministers of both countries have shown personal commitment towards improvement of ties, Mirwaiz has been quoted as saying by the Dawn.

APHC also issued a statement after the meeting which was attended by Maulana Mohammad Abbas Ansari, Prof Abdul Gani Bhat, Bilal Gani Lone, Mukhtar Ahmad Waza and Muhammad Musadiq Adil. The conference is gravely concerned about the recent attack on Pathankot airbase in a time when Pakistan and India are set to resume talks after a long pause, it said.

"The APHC strongly backs talks between both countries and appreciates the initiative by leaderships on both sides to discuss all outstanding problems including Kashmir issue," the statement added.

Incidents like Pathankot attack can trigger a serious crisis between Pakistan and India which can lead to other devastating consequences, the meeting noted.