Srinagar: Kashmiri separatist group All Parties Hurriyat Conference on Monday said that Pakistan’s former president General Pervez Musharraf broke from the past to reach out to Government India with an open mind to resolve the Kashmir issue.

On Sunday, two former chief ministers of Jammu and Kashmir Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti had acknowledged Musharraf’s efforts to settle Kashmir.

Kashmiri mainstream and moderate separatists have over the years hailed Musharraf on his Kashmir stand.

“Pervez Musharraf broke from the past to reach out to Government India with an open mind to resolve the Kashmir issue, while putting the spotlight on the aspirations and sentiments of the people of J&K as important stakeholders of the conflict,” APHC led my Mirwaiz Omar Farooq said in a statement on Monday.

It said Musharraf’s initiative was reciprocated in kind by late Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee.

“His initiative was reciprocated in kind by late PM Vajpayeeji ,a wise and humane leader. And for the first time Kashmiri leadership on both sides of the line of divide got an opportunity to talk and listen to each other and put their perspective and aspirations before both the governments of India and Pakistan in the ensuing talks,” the statement said.

“Despite tremendous pressure and personal losses suffered by APHC leadership it supported this initiative wholeheartedly seeing in it a probable and fair solution to the lingering Kashmir issue, the cause of incessant violence and bloodshed in the nuclear neighbourhood of India Pakistan and China. It is extremely sad especially for the people of J&K that the process got derailed over time and the opportunity lost,” the separatist group said.

APHC said it believes that progress and development is unlikely to be realised in places of conflict and hostility within boundaries, and in neighbourhoods.

“So it always bats for communication /dialogue among people and states as means to conflict resolution and subsequent benefits of witnessing peace and progress,” the statement said.

On Sunday, Omar Abdullah had said that Musharaf was the only Pakistani leader willing to meet and “engage with mainstream Kashmiri leaders from India, much to the horror of Hurriyat leaders.”

“His solution for the “Kashmir issue” put the interests of the people of J&K at the forefront while being realistic that the framework must ensure that neither India nor Pakistan “lost face”. It didn’t happen & we are where we are today,” Omar tweeted.

“He wanted a solution according to wishes of people of J&K & acceptable to India & Pak. Though GOI has reversed all CBMs initiated by him & Vajpayee ji, the ceasefire remains,” Mehbooba tweeted.

(With UNI inputs)