This particular visit, however, comes at a time Pakistan and India have covered substantial ground on normalisation of business and commerce relations backed by a general consensus among different sections of society, the government and opposition politicians. Interior Minister Rehman Malik just returned from India after signing a landmark visa liberalisation agreement. Progress is also being made on the issue of Mumbai attacks. An Indian legal experts' team followed Rehman Malik to Pakistan to settle terms of reference for a judicial commission's travel to New Delhi.
These developments have created an impression that the core issue of Kashmir has been placed on the backburner in the hope that economic exchanges together with other confidence-building measures would create support in India for the resolution Kashmir. The APHC leaders, it seems, have been invited to offer reassurance that Pakistan remains committed to their cause. Yet the issue may well be a part of the composite peace dialogue. Before leaving New Delhi for Islamabad, the Mirwaiz described the visit in a media interview as significant, and having very positive and far-reaching implications. That though could also mean that the APHC leadership is apprehensive about the direction the Pak-India dialogue is taking.
The visitors and those they met supported the resumption of the peace process and trade normalisation, also agreeing that resolution of issues of dispute between Pakistan and India is not possible without the resolution of Kashmir question in accordance with the wishes of the Kashmiri people. Back in the Occupied Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdulla said that upon return from Pakistan the APHC leaders should also talk to New Delhi, adding that "separatists should put their agenda before the people and accordingly initiate dialogue with the Indian government unconditionally to work out solution to Jammu and Kashmir centric political issues acceptable to all stakeholders." An optimistic interpretation of these assertions could be that the two countries have adopted quite diplomacy on the thorniest issue of conflict between them to avoid unnecessary controversies in the media and among opposition politicians. The signs of progress to look for would be release of political prisoners in Occupied Kashmir; revocation of the draconian law, Armed Forces Special Powers Act; and enhanced trade and visitor exchanges across the Line of Control.