Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir Cabinet on Monday night welcomed the appointment of former Intelligence Bureau (IB) chief Dineshwar Sharma as the Centre’s representative to initiate a sustained dialogue with all stakeholders in the restive state.

An official spokesperson  said here that the state Cabinet, which met under the chairpersonship of the chief minister Mehbooba Mufti, observed that this was a long pending demand which “will pave the way for a meaningful and sustained dialogue with various stakeholders and different sections of the society.”

The Cabinet while echoing the Chief Minister also observed that the dialogue is the only way forward to address the issues in the larger interest of peace and stability in the State. The Cabinet further observed that the dialogue initiative is in line with the Prime Minister’s Independence Day speech that embracing the people of Jammu and Kashmir is the key to the solution to the problem in the State.

The Chief Minister said that she has maintained it all along that sustained dialogue with all stakeholders in the State is the only way forward to get Jammu & Kashmir out of the vicious cycle of uncertainty, acrimony and violence. “The State have been the worst victims of this uncertainty spread over decades and a forward movement in political process only can put balms on their wounds,” she said.

She hoped that such a “bold initiative” by the Central government would boost the confidence of the people of the State in peaceful means of addressing difficult situations. She said, “Today’s announcement goes in line with the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi’s, announcement of August 15 this year in which he had pledged dialogue and reconciliation to reach out to the people of the State. I hope that today’s initiative would bring the same positive dividends to State and the country as has happened in the past”.

She also hoped that the stakeholders in the State, sensing the need for such an engagement, would take full benefit of this opportunity to get Jammu and Kashmir out of these uncertainties and contribute positively in taking the dialogue process to its logical conclusion”.

She reiterated the commitment and resolve of her government to work for dialogue, reconciliation and public outreach in Jammu and Kashmir for winning the hearts and minds of people and healing the wounds which the past has afflicted upon its people.