Mufti calls for national initiative to tackle Kashmir unrest, NC calls meet futile'

Srinagar: As an uneasy calm prevailed in violence-hit Kashmir, an All Party Meeting on Thursday called for a national initiative to address problems confronting the state and an "inclusive engagement of all the stakeholders" to carry forward peace and reconciliation process.

The meeting, convened by Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, was however boycotted by opposition National Conference.

The five-hour long meeting here while discussing the prevailing law and order situation in Kashmir Valley took note of the empathy and sense of solidarity with the people of Jammu and Kashmir reflected during the debate on the prevailing situation in the State in both Houses of

Parliament, an official spokesman told reporters.

"The meeting calls for converting this political consensus into a national initiative for addressing the problems confronting Jammu and Kashmir and its people," he said, adding the meeting called for "inclusive engagement of all the stakeholders" in Jammu and Kashmir for carrying forward the peace and reconciliation process in the State.

The spokesman said the meeting expressed deep grief and concern over the loss of life and injuries caused during the law and order situation prevailing in the Valley since July 8 -- the day when Hizbul Mujahideen militant commander Burhan Wani was killed. The unrest has claimed 43 lives and injured over 3,400 others.

The meeting also observed a two-minute silence to pay homage to those who lost their lives in the law and order situation, the spokesman said.

The Chief Minister expressed gratitude to the leaders of all the political parties for their presence to deliberate over the prevailing situation.

She, however, expressed dismay over the non-participation of the NC at the meeting.

"I had spoken to NC working president, Omar Abdullah, myself last evening and requested him to attend the meeting," Mehbooba said, adding the presence of the leaders of the largest opposition party in the State would have added value and substance to the meeting.

In a two-page letter to senior Minister of PDP Abdul Rehman Veeri, the NC yesterday said in absence of any "credible, effective and humane leadership" in the state, an all party meeting was a "futile" and "meaningless" exercise.

Leaders of various political parties--Pradesh Congress Committee president G A Mir, CPI(M) leader M Y Tarigami, Panthers Party president Harshdev Singh, Peoples Democratic Front leader Hakim Mohammad Yasin, Democratic Nationalist Party leader Ghulam Hassan Mir, Lok Jan Shakti Party leader Sanjay Saraf, Awami Ittehad Party leader Sheikh Abdul Rashid, CPI leader A R Tukroo and BJP State president Sat Sharma also spoke at the meeting.

Talking to reporters outside the meeting hall at SKICC, Tarigami said the situation in the Valley was "grim" and it was "essentially a political unrest" that needed a political response.