At any rate, Kashmiris have seen few benefits from the confidence-building process between India and Pakistan.
ECONOMIST: What peace process? Kashmiris are entitled to ask
More important, the UN-mandated plebiscite does not offer Kashmiris what most of them really want: independence.
In the wake of the violence, tens of thousands of Kashmiris fled their homes.
Abdullah also insisted that the Hindu monarch had no right to decide the Kashmiris' destiny.
Since then, New Delhi had whittled down the autonomy package, and Kashmiris were getting angry.
It seems scant recompense for the 30, 000-70, 000 Kashmiris who have died in the insurgency.
Until then, it may not pay to be too soft on Muslims, whether Kashmiris or Pakistanis.
Labour took the Kashmiri vote for granted in the past, and the Kashmiris know it.
On the other hand, when orthodox Islamic practices are demanded by fundamentalist militants, Kashmiris reject them.
With local guerrilla movements largely crushed, negotiation is among independence-minded Kashmiris' few current options.
It was always unrealistic for Kashmiris to expect Mr Singh to come with dramatic political concessions.
Within the former kingdom, many Kashmiris have become disillusioned with the secessionist movement, which quickly turned dirty.
This does not appeal to most Kashmiris, who have seen autonomy granted and then snatched away before.
If the governments were honourable they could persuade Kashmiris that they were safe in settling for it.
He pointed out ancient photos of Kashmiris in formal dress and showed us black-and-white images printed on silver gelatine paper.
More profoundly, India regards Kashmir as its territory and the discontent of the Kashmiris as an internal matter.
Talks will not mean much unless other separatist Kashmiris, represented by the All Party Hurriyat Conference, join in.
Kashmiris on either side of the divide will be able to embrace each other in only three hours.
Young Kashmiris expose themselves to Indian bullets, hoping to draw compassionate outsiders Barack Obama perhaps to put pressure on India.
Mr Malik argues that any dialogue that excludes Kashmiris is incomplete and futile.
ECONOMIST: The peace process is still on track, but it's a slow one
India is keen to talk to disgruntled Kashmiris, and recognises it cannot get far without the co-operation of Pakistan.
And he has again refused to involve third parties a rebuff to Pakistan, which insists that Kashmiris be involved too.
ECONOMIST: But without progress on Kashmir, the good news won't last
The APHC Chairman, Abdul Gani Bhat says the outcome seriously disillusioned many Kashmiris.
Mr Khan claims that in some places, 70% of young Kashmiris are unemployed.
If cynical Kashmiris turn out to vote, it will be in part because they think the Americans are looking on.
ECONOMIST: On the eve of voting, a law minister is shot dead
If he abandons the Kashmiris, hardliners within the army will speak out and push religion-based political parties into the streets.
We stepped into Asia Crafts next door, where silver-tongued Kashmiris unrolled carpets that seemed to change colour every time they were turned upside-down.
On Sept. 7, Kashmiris participated in the first phase of a four-stage election aimed at restoring a popular 87-seat assembly.
Pakistan suspects that Mr Vajpayee's offer is nothing more than a ploy to divide Kashmiris and co-opt the more pliable ones.
Mr Singh is keen to show both Kashmiris and Pakistan that he is sincere in seeking a settlement of the dispute.
ECONOMIST: What peace process? Kashmiris are entitled to ask
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