Pakistan, India came close to ink Kashmir accord in 2007: Ex-envoy

India’s former prime minister Manmohan Singh’s special envoy, Satinder Lambah revealed Friday that Pakistan agreed to relinquish its principal stand of seeking the resolution of longstanding Kashmir dispute through the UN resolutions in 2007.

Lambah said Pakistan also agreed not to redraw borders during secret negotiations with the eastern neighbour, Hindustan Times reported.

Satinder Lambah, India’s backchannel man on the secret talks between India and Pakistan, told the Indian publication that the leadership of the two countries was ready to ink the final agreement but it was not finally signed because of domestic turmoil that led to Pervez Musharraf’s removal in Pakistan.

“What we were working on, agreed there would be no reference to the United Nations resolution or a plebiscite in Kashmir. Both sides had agreed that borders cannot be redrawn,” said Lambah.

Several leaders in Pakistan, who may have been privy to the agreement, said that India had agreed to the demilitarisation of Kashmir. But Lambah said, “We had agreed to the reduction of military troops, not paramilitary and that was subject to Pakistan ensuring an end to hostilities, violence and terrorism.”

Lambah went on to say there were still limited (back channel) contacts following the Mumbai attacks and what was agreed on by the Musharraf government was not disowned by the successive governments of PPP and prevailing PML-N government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

The core agreements centered around the cessation of all hostilities and terrorism, a joint mechanism for socio-economic subjects only and an understanding that like all Indian states, Jammu and Kashmir too would have autonomy in respect to revenue, finance and law and order, he said.

Lambah maintains the agreement is a “win-win for Pakistan, India and the people of Jammu and Kashmir” and can be the basis for all governments, including the present one led by Narendra Modi.

“In the past, Vajpayee, Advani and Manmohan Singh have met Hurriyat leaders and also given them visas to visit Pakistan,” Lambah commented on the issue of visiting Pakistani leaders meeting Kashmiri separatists.

“As regarding Pakistan, I fail to understand why they want to talk only to the Hurriyat and not also to the elected mainstream leaders from Jammu and Kashmir.”