Prime Minister for comprehensive political solution in J-K: Interlocutors

NEW DELHI - The three interlocutors, who have been appointed to seek out various shades of opinion in Jammu and Kashmir, after their meeting with Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh on Thursday said the Prime Minister has favoured a comprehensive political resolution of the situation in Jammu and Kashmir.

During the meeting held earlier today, Dr Manmohan Singh told the three interlocutors - journalist Dileep Padgaonkar, academician Radha Kumar and Central Information Commissioner M. M. Ansari - of the issues they may have to deal with and the processes those would entail.

Padgaonkar said the Prime Minister wanted the interlocutors to discuss the entire issues with the people of Kashmir.

“The Prime Minister reiterated the support of the government and of the political leadership at the highest levels for the work that has been entrusted to us. The Prime Minister then reiterated to us how important it was to approach all shades of opinion in Jammu and Kashmir, to talk, in particular, with the youth, with the women of the state,” said Padgaonkar.

Padgaonkar further said Dr Singh has asked the interlocutors to handle the issue sensitively, considering all the internal and external aspects.

“He emphasized that the way of looking at Kashmir obviously differed from region to region in the State, that we should be sensitive, therefore, to all aspects, the internal aspects as well as the external aspects of the situation in Kashmir,” said Padgaonkar.

“We told him about the discussions we already had and informed him that we would be going to Srinagar at the earliest. We are working out the modalities. He reiterated to us that he would be pleased to receive us, whenever we would like to share with him the information and the insights that we gather,” he added.

Radha Kumar added that the Prime Minister wanted the interlocutors to initiate a process in which the dissident groups would come to the table for a dialogue.

“The Prime Minister stressed the importance of finding a political solution that this does have to be a comprehensive solution, then it must take in to account aspirations in Jammu and Kashmir, and that he discussed great lengths with us, the progress that had been made in previous peace initiatives,” he added. (ANI)