After Modi-Mehbooba meet, Centre will form team to speak to separatists

New Delhi: The Centre is forming a new team to start a dialogue in Kashmir through informal channels, after Jammu and Kashmir CM Mehbooba Mufti met PM Narendra Modi at his residence in Delhi on Saturday.

According to a report in NDTV, the central government has started reaching out to eminent citizens to be part of the 'Track 2' team which could speak to all stakeholders in the Valley, including separatists.

Mehbooba Mufti in her meeting with Modi sought the creation of an institutional mechanism of interlocutors to talk to all stakeholders in Kashmir to carry forward former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's policy of a dialogue internally as well as with Pakistan.

Read: Mehbooba quotes father, says only Modi can change situation in Kashmir

Observing that the basis of the PDP-BJP alliance was on the foundations of Vajpayee's Kashmir policy and to carry forward from where it had stopped, she recalled the words of her father and former Chief Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed who had said that if Kashmir can be resolved, it can only be by the Prime Minister who enjoys two-thirds majority.

An all-party team is set to visit Kashmir in the first week of September, and the new 'Track 2' team is likely to be announced at that time, said the NDTV report.

Attacking Pakistan, the Jammu and Kashmir CM claimed on Saturday it was behind the present unrest in the Valley, which has continued for over 50 days.

While deploring the actions of stone-pelting youth in Kashmir, Mufti had said she wanted 'one chance' from the people of Kashmir. "I appeal to all those protesting in the streets. You may be angry with me, I may be angry with you, But please give me one chance," she said to those agitating in the Valley.

Earlier, reports had emerged that Home Minister Rajnath Singh had held two rounds of talks with eminent Muslims from outside the Kashmir Valley, to consider possible solutions to the conflict.