New Delhi, Feb 19: Political parties today by and large welcomed the appointment of former Home Secretary N N Vohra as the Centre's new interlocutor for Jammu and Kashmir even as separatist amalgam, Hurriyat Conference, maintained a studied silence on the issue. Welcoming the move, National Conference expressed hope that the separatists who have been shying away from dialogue would come forward and work for restoration of peace in the state. Party President Omar Abdullah said, "We hope that the new interlocutor will talk to all section of people and all shade of opinions and not just confine himself to mainstream political parties."
At the same time, the people of the state would like to know the fate of earlier interlocutors like K C Pant, Arun Jaitley and Ram Jethmalani, who held talks with the political and separatist groups in the state, Omar said.
Hurriyat Conference chairman Abdul Gani Bhat was not forthcoming for an immediate reaction saying "the executive group will sit and discuss the issue thread-bare."
Asked when was the executive likely to meet, Bhat said "well in next few days."
Bureau Report