SRINAGAR: The warming up in relations between India and Pakistan has kindled hopes of a breakthrough among the mainstream political parties in Jammu and Kashmir while the Hurriyat dismissed the bonhomie as "farce" due to their non-inclusion in the process.

As the External Affairs Minister, Sushma Swaraj, lands in Pakistan's capital Islamabad today for "Heart of Asia" conference, veteran Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Geelani said unless the people of Kashmir are taken on board by the two countries, no dialogue would bear fruit.

"Unless India and Pakistan take bold steps to resolve Kashmir issue in accordance with the wishes of people, peace will remain elusive. History will testify that Indo-Pak talks held in past have been a farce meant to aggravate the miseries of people of J&K,” Geelani told The Citizen.

Ms Swaraj is scheduled to meet his Pakistani counterpart, Sartaj Aziz, and she will also call on the Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif during her stay in Pakistan.

JKLF chief, Yasin Malik, said the people of Jammu and Kashmir have lost faith in dialogue with four generations in Kashmir consumed by turmoil despite India and Pakistan holding series of talks.

“The new regime in New Delhi blows up small issues to make them controversial and an atmosphere of confrontation and hatred has been created across India. I don’t see anything would come out of the renewed talks between the two countries.”

Moderate Hurriyat chairman, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, however, welcomed the NSA talks, hoping that it will lead to a breakthrough on the Kashmir issue, "It is a welcome beginning to see that India and Pakistan have separated the issues of terrorism and Kashmir. I am hopeful that a positive movement will be made on Kashmir issue in the upcoming talks,” Mirwaiz said.

The J&K Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, welcomed the resumption of Indo-Pak talks in Bangkok, where the NSAs of the two countries met on Sunday, hoping that it will set the tone for "reconciliation" between the two neighbouring countries. “It is a good beginning. I am happy that bilateral talks between NSAs of India and Pakistan were held quietly,” the Chief Minister said.

The opposition National Conference (NC) said the talks between the two countries should be focussed and result-oriented. “India and Pakistan must start a meaningful exercise with special focus on Kashmir issue, which is the bone of contention over the past six decades. The dialogue should be focused and not just a time-killing exercise,” NC's general secretary, Ali Muhammad Sagar, said.