J&K: Special representative to begin peace talks on Monday

Sharma said that he is open to meeting with the political leadership and other prominent voices in the Valley in a bid to ensure that peace returns in the state.

The Centre's special representative will be in the Kashmir Valley on Monday to commence peace talks. The Centre had appointed former Intelligence Bureau director, Dineshwar Sharma as the special representative for peace talks in Kashmir.

Sharma said that he is open to meeting with the political leadership and other prominent voices in the Valley in a bid to ensure that peace returns in the state.

I will go to the Valley with no blinkers on, he had said while also adding that he would meet all persons with a genuine grievance.

Kashmiri separatists have already made it clear that they are not keen on engaging with the former IPS officer from the Kerala cadre.

In a joint statement, recently issued by Hurriyat Conference leaders Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and JKLF chief Yasin Malik, they had stated that the appointment of a peace interlocutor was a delaying tactic "adopted under international pressure and regional compulsions.

OneIndia News