Lawyer Ram Jethmalani’s Kashmir Committee is arriving here on a five-day visit from Thursday to renew its effort seeking “an enduring solution to the Kashmir problem” by meeting various stakeholders, including separatist and mainstream political leaders.
A statement received here said that Mr Jethmalani, who is the chairman of the committee set up several years ago to open a channel of dialogue mainly with senior separatist leaders as they were reluctant to hold talks with the Centre, will be accompanied by the other members.
The statement said the committee has received positive response from diverse sections of political opinion to its forthcoming visit to Srinagar, which has only encouraged it and make plans to visit Jammu and Ladakh regions as well soon. “We hope to follow up these visits with sustained efforts to bring all the stakeholders together to find an enduring solution to the Kashmir problem,” it said. It added, “We do not come with any pre-conceived ideas or readymade formulas. We are coming to hear diverse voices and understand the fast changing ground reality, not just in the Valley but also other regions of J&K.” The panel believes the “continuing stalemate” on account of the Central government’s “failure in responding to the aspirations of the people of J&K strengthens the hands of enemies of peace.”
It said, “Given the deep unrest underneath the surface calm we feel it is urgently required that we resume the creative and sustained dialogue we had initiated some years ago. We can justly claim that we have had in the past some success to our credit.”