Srinagar: Opposition Peoples Democratic
Party and separatist Hurriyat Conference on Wednesday termed the
report of Centre’s interlocutors as wastage of time while the
ruling National Conference said it is unfortunate if the team
has rejected the autonomy for Jammu and Kashmir.
"The whole exercise seems to be a waste of time. As
reported in the media, the report has neither touched on the
internal dimension nor the external dimension of Kashmir
issue," PDP president Mehbooba Mufti said.
She said recommendations like devolution of powers to
Panchayats was nothing special.
Mehbooba said the reports submitted by the Working
Groups set up by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh after the 2005
Roundtable Conference were far better in addressing the issues
of Jammu and Kashmir.
Moderate Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar
Farooq said the decision of the amalgam to stay away from the
Centre-appointed team has been vindicated.
"Confidence-building measures can only help in creating
conducive atmosphere for resolution of the Kashmir issue. CBMs
cannot be a solution," Mirwaiz said.
The Hurriyat Chairman said a year has been wasted and
the interlocutors have not come up with anything different
from what the Centre has already been saying with respect to
Kashmir problem.
National Conference spokesman Shiekh Mustafa Kamaal
said he would not be in a position to make a categorical
statement on the report of the interlocutors.
"But if restoration of autonomy, which has been passed
by the state legislature, has been ignored in the report, it
is unfortunate," Kamaal said.
Exactly a year after their appointment, the interlocutors
submitted their report to Home Minister P Chidambaram on a
variety of issues including the controversial Armed Forces
Special Powers Act.
PTI
