All Parties Hurriyat Conference Chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has welcomed the opening of the trade routes between India and Pakistan. During his Friday speech at Jamia Masjid in Srinagar [Images], the Mirwaiz observed that the people of the Valley wanted the key routes to be opened up for trade.

"I have welcomed the opening of the trade routes between India and Pakistan. From October 21, the route between Srinagar and Muzaffarbad and Poonch and Rawalkot would be thrown open to the general public. This is a welcome move. The good news came after a meeting between Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh [Images] and Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari," Mirwaiz told rediff.com on the phone from his residence in Srinagar.

India, Pakistan set to start cross-LoC trade

He also noted that the two countries had agreed to open routes between Wagha and Attari, Kokarpar and Munabao and Kargil [Images] and Sakardu.

"Let there be people to people contact and then the other things can follow," the separatist leader said

Talking about the government's decision to reallocate land to the Sri Amarnath Shrine Board, the Mirwaiz said, "There is a difference between the present and the earlier allotment of land. Though the shrine board will look after the arrangements and other parts of the Amarnath Yatra [Images], the overall ownership of the land would remain with the government of Jammu and Kashmir [Images]. I would like to make it clear that nobody is against the Yatra," the Mirwaiz said. 

Full text of the Amarnath Accord