ALSO READ | Pro-Freedom Kashmiri leaders express no confidence in visiting Indian Parliamentary Delegation … The government said that it is open to talk to all the stakeholders.
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Yechury said government should follow up its Kashmir outreach initiative by taking concrete steps like former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who had declared a unilateral ceasefire and held talks with militant group Hizbul Mujahideen.
“One fails to understand what hope to attach with a delegation which has not spelled out its mandate for any engagement on a clear agenda”, separatist leaders Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Mohammad Yasin Malik said in a joint statement. “They had gone there in their individual capacity”, the Home Minister told reporters here before concluding the all-party delegation’s visit to the restive Valley. The delegation comprising 26 members from 20 political parties had meetings with over 30 delegates comprising 300 people since Sunday.
As the delegation left for Jammu, the Kashmir Valley continued to be tense amid curfew in some parts, shutdown and recurring anti-government and pro-freedom protests.
Ahead of all party meeting, Singh held a crucial meeting in New Delhi yesterday, which was attended by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, BJP chief Amit Shah, Minister of State in PMO Jitendra Singh and BJP general secretary Ram Madhav. We all want that things in Kashmir need to improve. Sources said that there was a feeling in the Government that lack of governance was a major concern for Jammu and Kashmir and this needs to be addressed. The delegation would meet in Delhi and discuss the future action plan. Talking about the motive behind the visit, the Home Minister said Parliament, which is the supreme “panchayat” of the country, is very serious about the situation in Kashmir and hence chose to send a delegation of its members for talks.
On the use of pellet guns against protesters, the home minister said he had promised an alternative during his visit on July 24, “A committee was set up which has come up with the alternative of PAVA shells which have been dispatched to the state authorities”, he said.
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“The PDP delegation conveyed to the members of the APD that the peace and political stability in Jammu and Kashmir could become a reality only by creating an institutionalized mechanism for dialogue and resolution within the state and in the region”, the PDP statement said. “They are integral part of this country”, Sharma said.
