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New Delhi: Pakistani hardline religious leader and chief of Jamiat-Ulema Islam (JUI) Maulana Fazal-ur Rahman on July 19 held long-ranging talks with the Kashmir Committee, headed by former Union Minister Ram Jethmalani, to give fresh impetus to the process of finding a "negotiated and durable solution" to the vexed issue.

Emerging from an hour-long discussion between the four member-delegation and Kashmir Committee, Rahman and Jethmalani agreed that "the meeting was a good step forward to find a durable solution to the Kashmir issue".

Jethmalani said that the meeting was reassuring for both the sides which wanted peace and durable and honourable solution to the Kashmir problem.

"What is now known is that to what extent both sides will move directly for a settlement on the Kashmir issue," he said.

Rehman, who two days ago had opposed any third party mediation and said that Simla Agreement could be the guiding principle to solve all major problems involving Kashmir, refused to elaborate any further saying divulging of details of talks would harm the process of finding a solution.

Rahman, who is leading a four-member delegation to India, had said that there was no room for violence and that Kashmir issue should be solved through dialogue between India and Pakistan.

PTI