Says without any fear, New Delhi should reach out to Hurriyat
Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today called for unconditional dialogue and stressed for engaging all sections of the society in a credible and meaningful political process for the resolution of the long pending issue of Jammu and Kashmir.
She, however, the separatist leadership shall also have to take a step forward; the Centre on its part shall have to put off the fire on internal discontent.
Mehbooba said the country’s political leadership must, without any further delay, reach out and engage all sections of the society including the leaders of the Hurriyat Conference in a productive dialogue process to resolve the issue and make peace a reality in Jammu and Kashmir.
Mehbooba said this while interacting with the people at Kraloo village in t Kulgam where she had gone to offer personal condolences to the bereaved family of Mashooq Ahmad Sheikh, who was killed in security forces firing last month.
The Chief Minister said it is perhaps for the first time that the Kashmir issue has been, during the past two months, discussed in so many forums and at so many levels including the Parliament and at the All Party Meetings where judicious views were put across by all shades of the country’s political opinion on how to end the stalemate.
“The need of the hour is to build on this larger political consensus within the country and initiate tangible measures to address the issue,” she said.
She said during her meeting with the Prime Minister last month she suggested a three-pronged approach including talks with all sections of society within J&K including the separatist leadership and also with Pakistan to put the reconciliation and resolution process back on track.
Mehbooba expressed the hope that the upcoming visit of the All Party Delegation to the State will facilitate revival of the much-needed peace and resolution process in and around Jammu and Kashmir.
The Chief Minister said that the people of the State have given the present Government the mandate to voice their urges and aspirations and seek resolution of the problems by involving all the stakeholders in a productive dialogue process.
“The same has been reiterated in the Government’s ‘Agenda of Alliance’ wherein it has been made clear that the State Government will create conditions to facilitate resolution of all issues and will help initiate a sustained and meaningful dialogue with all the stakeholders, including all political groups in J&K irrespective of their ideological views and predilections to build a broad based consensus on resolution of all outstanding issues of J&K,” she said.