(From PTI)
Jammu and Kashmir State Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti Saturday presented a “three-pronged action plan” that included a dialogue with all stakeholders during talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to bring lasting peace in the Valley rocked by turmoil that has left 68 people dead.
After an hour-long meeting, her first with Modi since the unrest broke out on July 8, Mehbooba told reporters that the Prime Minister was “very concerned” about the situation and has asked for steps to end this “bloodshed” so that peace can return to the Valley.
Appealing to the protesters to help her resolve the crisis, she said, “please give me one chance to address your concerns and aspirations.”
Mehbooba’s “three-pronged action plan” for peace in Kashmir includes involvement of separatists and Pakistan in substantive dialogue to work out a solution to the problem in light of the contemporary geo-political realities.However, the release did not spell any details but sources in the know said the plan includes facilitating visit of an all-party delegation to the Valley later next week, a possible change in Governor and appointing an interlocutor to hold talks with all the stakeholders in the state.
Stressing the need for initiating a credible and meaningful political action on the ground to make peace and stability a reality in the state, Mehbooba called for reviving the reconciliation and resolution process which was initiated by the then NDA Government headed by Atal Bihari Vajpayee between 2002 and 2005.
“We shall have to pick up the threads from where we left in 2005 and revive the reconciliation and resolution process with fresh resolve,” she said and added that the present Prime Minister has the mandate to take bold political initiatives on Kashmir as was done by Vajpayee.Expressing anguish over the continued violence and killings, Mehbooba sought involvement of all the stakeholders for resolution of the problems facing Jammu and Kashmir and improving the situation in the state.
She said the focus of the State government, Government of India and all other parties in the country is to reach out to the majority of the peace-loving stakeholders in Kashmir who want peaceful solution of the problem.
Pakistan needles India
Further needling India on the Kashmir issue, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Saturday nominated 22 parliamentarians as special envoys to be sent to world capitals to highlight the issue.
“We will remind the United Nations its long-held promise of self-determination to the Kashmiri people,” Sharif said.
The move by Sharif comes in the backdrop of escalating war of words between India and Pakistan in the aftermath of the continuing unrest in the Kashmir Valley that broke out on July 8 after the killing of miltant Burhan Wani by security forces.
“We will also make it clear to India that it was India that approached the UN several decades back on Kashmir dispute but now it is not fulfilling its promise,” Sharif said.
The Kashmir problem is the most persistent failure of the UN and the world body must establish its relevance, he said.