Interlocutors arrives on six day visit to J&K

Centre`s interlocutors on Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday arrived on a six-day visit to the state during which they will attend a two-day ‘peace conference’ and visit places outside Srinagar.

Srinagar: Centre`s interlocutors on Jammu
and Kashmir on Sunday arrived on a six-day visit to the state
during which they will attend a two-day ‘peace conference’ and
visit places outside Srinagar.

The three-member interlocutor team headed by veteran
journalist Dileep Padgaonkar arrived here this afternoon on
their eighth visit to the state after they were appointed in
October last year.

"The interlocutors will attend a two-day peace
conference, beginning tomorrow, being organised here by Jammu
and Kashmir Peace Foundation," Padgaonkar said, adding that
they will also be meeting several delegations.

Padgaonkar, academician Radha Kumar and former Central
Information Commissioner MM Ansari were appointed as
interlocutors by the Centre in October last year towards the
end of the summer unrest in the valley, which left over 100
civilians dead.

The team has been given one year to submit a report to
the centre on a political solution to Kashmir problem.

The interlocutors have so far recommended release of
political prisoners and students held on charges of stone
pelting, end to arrests of youth for their participation in
last year`s protests and removal of bunkers from some
residential areas of the city.

"We will also travel outside Srinagar to places where
we have not went yet to meet the people ourselves. We will
also meet leaders of political parties," Padgaonkar said.

Asked if they had achieved any breakthrough in fixing
meetings with the separatists, Padgaonkar evaded a direct
reply by saying, "Why do not you ask them? Find out from
them."

Moderate Hurriyat Conference headed by Mirwaiz Umer
Farooq last month suspended its constituent
Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (IuM) after the chief patron of the party
Moulana Mohammad Abbas Ansari met interlocutors during their
last visit to the valley.

PTI

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