Centre announces 8-point initiative for Kashmir

New Delhi, Sep 25 (PTI) Announcing an eight-point
Kashmir formula, the Central Governmenmt of India Saturday
said a Group of Interlocutors led by an eminent person will
hold "sustained dialogue" with all sections of the north
Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir and also review deployment
of security forces in the Valley, especially in its
capital, Srinagar.
Unveiling a package of measures approved by the Cabinet
Committee of Security(CCS) at its meeting here in a bid to
deal with the civil unrest in the Kashmir Valley, Indian Home
Minister P Chidambaram said the state Government will be
advised to review the notification of areas as "Disturbed
Areas". The unrest has claimed the lives of 105 persons since
June 10.
The 30-minute CCS meeting was presided by Indian Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh.
Briefing reporters after the meeting, Chidambaram did
not elaborate whether the review of the Disturbed Areas
notification was a prelude to any phased withdrawal of the
contentious Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) from
certain areas of the Valley.
J and K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah welcomed the
Centre's initiative saying it is a positive development and
must lead to a resolution to all political issues of Jammu
and Kashmir.
The CCS decisions were taken after it reviewed the
situation in the Valley and considered the report of the
recent visit of the 36-member all-party delegation to J and K
submitted by Chidambaram, who had led the team.
In a bid to reach out to the masses, the Centre also
advised the J and K government to release students and youth
who have been arrested or detained for stone pelting and
similar violations of law during the Valley unrest, and
withdraw all charges against them.
The state government has also been advised to review
cases of all Public Safety Act(PSA) detenues and withdraw
detention orders in appropriate cases.
"Government will appoint a Group of Interlocutors under
the Chairmanship of an eminent person to begin the process of
sustained dialogue with political parties, groups, students,
civil society," Chidambaram said.
However, he did not say the exact composition of the
group and skirted the question and said "it can be either one
plus two or one plus three...we will see."
The CCS decided to advice the state government to
immediately convene a meeting of the Unified Command and
review the deployment of the security forces in Kashmir
valley, especially at Srinagar, with particular reference to
descale bunkers and check points in the summer capital and
other towns, the Home Minister said.(MORE) PTI SKL
SAK


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