The chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Mehbooba Mufti, has welcomed the central government's decision to appoint ex-intelligence chief Dineshwar Sharma as its interlocutor for Jammu and Kashmir.
While talking to reporters in Srinagar, Mufti said the move is the only way forward.
The CM, while welcoming the initiative, said dialogue is a necessity of the hour. Visibly elated Mufti gave credit to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the initiative.
Citing PM's August 15 speech, Mufti said that Kashmir problem will be solved neither by abuse nor by bullets. It will be solved only by embracing all Kashmiris.
“The initiative is part of it”, she said, adding whatever security measures had to be taken to tackle the situation in the state have been taken but the political process was necessary.
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“This has happened earlier also. It has provided good results. And this process would also provide good results."
However, former chief minister, Omar Abdullah, said that he will keep an open mind and wait to see results of the dialogue process.
J&K CM described Dineshwar Sharma as the man having a huge credibility and said he had remained part of the dialogue process in North East as well. “He has done excellent work in North East and he will do same here”, she said.
Without naming separatists, she said, the dialogue process is without any preconditions and all stakeholders should positively respond to it. She said it would help people as they want to come out of the present circle of violence.
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Mufti said she was hopeful that the initiative would be seen by people as a confidence building measure. She praised both the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh for the initiative.
She said the government of India has taken a step and all stakeholders should respond to it. “It should be their concern now to help how to get the state out from present quagmire”, she said.
The CM added that the Home Minister has stated they would talk to all stakeholders and has not laid any precondition. “Political process was necessary and it was important for people of Jammu and Kashmir”, she said adding that this new initiative will be a success.
