At the end of week-long visit Azad Jammu and Kashmir former president Sardar Abdul Qayyum expressed serious doubts over emergence of an independent Jammu and Kashmir state saying the dream of a "sovereign Kashmir" could not be fulfilled in the next 100 years.
Qayyum, who was speaking at an interactive session organised by the Observer Research Foundation, suggested united states of Jammu and Kashmir under multi-national control.
"Especially after the experience in Central Asia, I don't think the world will support any fresh Muslim sovereign state," Qayyum said.
The AJK leader had told reporters earlier that there was no support to independence in the occupied Kashmir and it was only a myth created by some vested interests, daily Excelsior reported.
Qayyum, who was responding to questions from intellectuals like former Governors of the State Jagmohan and Girish Chander Saxena, attempted to defend militancy saying it would vanish once the peace process would have an "electrifying effect" and situation at the ground would improve drastically.
However, when he went ahead to claim that neither the soil of AJK nor Pakistan was being used for running militancy camps, he was countered by Saxena who said, "in the last 16 years India has never heard that anyone was intercepted, killed or arrested by Pakistani forces at the LoC.
"Let us not be under any misconception that AJK soil has been the breeding ground of militancy," he said.
To a question, Qayyum said Northern Areas was a part of Jammu and Kashmir and when the question of exercising the "right of self-determination" would come, the area would be taken into consideration.
However, when he was questioned about the continuance of those areas under Pakistan occupation despite an order of the Supreme Court, he said, "taking over the Northern Areas was necessary apparently due to Chinese intrusion."
Qayyum agreed with the suggestion of Jagmohan that Kashmir should be a role model for other parts of India and Pakistan in eradication of poverty and backwardness.
Meanwhile, Sardar Qayyum Khan said the timing of dialogue was perfect and the 'tempo should continue'.
Khan, who headed the delegation which also visited Jammu and Rajasthan, said he was earlier apprehensive on whether he would be given a visa to come to India, but now felt overwhelmed by the welcome accorded to him and his team.
Speaking at a farewell reception accorded by Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party President Bhim Singh here, he complimented the Indian side for timing the talks at this time when it was most opportune.
He said it was necessary to defeat the 'mafia of trouble-makers' and thanked the Indian media for its positive role during the ten-day stay of the delegation in India.
He said the dialogue must continue and include those groups, which have been left out so far. He hoped the next round would be held in Srinagar.
Bhim Singh expressed satisfaction that an intra Kashmir had taken place in one of the countries involved and was not merely in the form of a one-to-one meeting of leaders from both sides of the border in a third country. He described Sardar as 'an architect of language who can construct a bridge of peace'.
AJK Minister Sahibzada Hamid Raza said he had assured Kashmiri Pandits that they were free to visit religious shrines in AJK and he would make arrangements for that whenever approached.