The Omar Abdullah government has, during the past two days, reached out to several Kashmiri separatist leaders with the plea that it was ready to seek resolution of the issues through talks with them if they help in restoring peace in the Valley.
Those with whom contact has been established include Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Prof. Abdul Gani Butt, Aga Syed Hassan, Syed Shabir Ahmed Shah, Naeeem Ahmed Khan and Muhammad Yasin Malik, sources close to the government here said on Tuesday. The government has through various ministers and other representatives and also officials of different intelligence agencies also approached the members of civil society to seek their help as the law and order situation is deteriorating with each passing day.
Sources said that the response from these leaders to the government plea has not been “altogether discouraging.” But they have asked the government to quickly take some measures towards creating conducive atmosphere which may include releasing all the youth arrested on charge of stone-pelting and other similar offensives during past couple of months, withdraw CRPF and local armed police force personnel from populated areas and “publicly apologise” for the killings. One of the jailed leaders also suggested that in order to create a political space for the separatists to step in the government should publicly admit to Kashmir being a dispute to be resolved through talks among the relevant parties.
The Omar Abdullah government has made it clear that such a committment could be made only by the Central government.
***
‘Omar must rise and act’
AGE CORRESPONDENT
New Delhi
Aug. 3: The Centre wants Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah to rise to the occasion and “dominate’’ the situation in the Valley simmering under protests by seperatists’ elements. There is concern within the government over disturbances continuing in the state till the visit of US President Barack Obama to India which is slated for November. Government sources said that certain elements from across the border want to prolong the agitation till the visit of the US President to draw international attention to the Kashmir problem.
Government sources said that misguided youth are being instigated by seperatist elements, including the Opposition PDP.