All-party team to visit J&K in September first week

An all-party delegation comprising senior leaders is likely to visit the violence-hit Kashmir Valley in the first week of September. The delegation will have consultations with a cross-section of people from the Valley, including local political leaders and civil society members, in a bid to resolve the ongoing turbulence in Kashmir.

The demand to send an all-party delegation was made at a meeting of all parties chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Kashmir a fortnight ago. Home minister Rajnath Singh told CM Mehbooba Mufti on his two-day visit to the state that the all-party team would soon visit J&K, and the state government should make all the arrangements.

Ms Mufti rushed to New Delhi Friday and is expected to meet the Prime Minister on Saturday to discuss the situation, when the all-party team’s visit is likely to come up. This will be Ms Mufti’s first meeting with Mr Modi since unprecedented violence erupted in the state last month, after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani, that led to the death of 67 people.

Home ministry officials said the delegation will possibly visit the Valley in the first week of September and reach out to people there. “During the home minister’s two-day visit, both the Centre and the state government agreed that the delegation should visit, and we are going ahead with preparations. The Centre has said it is willing to engage with people in the Valley and take the dialogue process forward with whoever wants to talk. If the separatists want, they too can meet the delegation and discuss their grievances,” a senior MHA official said.