Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah made different but significant statements in the Pugwash conference on regional security held in March 2008 in Islamabad. Were they playing to the gallery or is there a significant change in perceptions among the political leaders of the younger generation from the major mainstream parties of J&K? More importantly, do such independent initiatives create any positive impact?

The Pugwash conference undoubtedly is part of a series, highlighting an important role played by nongovernmental organizations in providing a common platform to various schools of thought on J&K to suggest an alternative roadmap for lasting peace and stability in the region. The Pugwash conference was attended by nearly fifty delegates, including intellectuals, mainstream politicians, diplomats, journalists and security experts from India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran. Inside J&K, the Jammu University, under the leadership of Prof Amitabh Mattoo has also undertaken numerous such initiatives engaging actors from across the border, particularly across the Line of Control.

By allowing such conferences, both India and Pakistan are also exhibiting their willingness to support such a process outside the normal governmental channels, however limited in scope they are. Clearly, such initiatives do create a positive environment, hence should be welcome.

The timing of this new initiative is also important. After a gap of almost ten years, a democratically elected government is in place today in Pakistan. Though, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) led by Benazir Bhutto was very much in power in Pakistan in late eighties and early nineties when militancy was at its peak in the Valley, changes in PPP's perceptions today is significant. As highlighted by the statements of Asif Zardari, the co-chairman of the PPP, the party's perceptions of the conflict has considerably changed today, reflecting a general change in Pakistan.

In J&K, political parties are getting ready for the next assembly elections scheduled to be held later this year. Presidents of two mainstream political parties in J&K - Omar Abdullah of National Conference (NC) and Mehbooba Mufti of People's Democratic Party (PDP) - sharing a common platform on Pakistan is an important development. Not only have they represented the perceptions of the younger generation, but also the mainstream perceptions of two political parties that have ruled J&K in the recent years. Their perceptions and statements along with their interactions in Pakistan would have conveyed different aspects of J&K. Otherwise the normal discourse in Pakistan related to J&K is generally led by the Hurriyat, militants and the intelligence organizations.

What did these leaders say? While Mehbooba essentially highlighted the various contours of PDP's self rule plan and suggested the setting up of a regional council comprising members of both parts of Kashmir, Omar struck to his party's stand on autonomy being the only viable solution to the sixty year problem. Prof Nirmal Singh of the BJP once again reiterated his party's stand and called upon Pakistan to put an end to all cross-border terrorism before entering into any dialogue for a permanent settlement on Kashmir.

An analysis of these statements would highlight the sharp contrast in the ideologies being projected by the mainstream parties. While Mehbooba, it is felt was certainly playing to the gallery in Pakistan and trying to please the hardliner separatist faction in Kashmir, her proposal for Kashmir in reality, was bereft of anything new or tenable. Her concept of dual power sharing between India and Pakistan over Kashmir, which she very conveniently backtracked later, is very much inspired by Gen. Musharraf's four point formula for Kashmir. Mehbooba's utterances may have lent some support in her constituency back home but her proposal has certainly annoyed PDP's political ally Congress and the BJP who have called such a concept an attempt to dilute Indian sovereignty over Kashmir. Thus it would not be wrong to say that PDP's much advocated proposal of self rule and demilitarization has been inspired by Gen. Musharraf's Kashmir plan and that the mainstream political party actually does not have anything of its own to offer.

Omar Abdullah reminded that the Kashmir issue cannot be frozen and left to future generations and that the people of J&K were eager to find an honorable and dignified solution to the Kashmir problem. While NC has always been consistent with regard to autonomy within the national framework, being the only viable solution, the PDP has been shifting its stand as per the situation and political requirements. Another point which needs considerable attention is the fact that the PDP till date has not come out with its document on self rule in black and white while the NC's autonomy resolution which was passed by the J&K legislative assembly in June 2000 is a statutory legal document endorsed by the people of the state through their representatives. Omar Abdullah's suggestion of establishing a truth and reconciliation commission on the lines of South Africa for ascertaining the facts and starting a process of reconciliation in the trouble torn state is more than welcome and the political leadership of both the countries should take early steps in this direction.