ejaz007
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India offers dialogue to Kashmiris
* Amendments to Armed Forces Special Powers Act being drafted
* Forces relocation, employment package to be discussed at high-level meeting
By Iftikhar Gilani
NEW DELHI: Responding to unabated anti-India protests in Indian-held Kashmir (IHK), Indian Home Minister Palaniappan Chidambaram on Wednesday said that the government would reach out to protesters and expressed willingness to hold talks with any group that wished to engage in a dialogue.
Expressing concern that the government has not been able to stop the vicious cycle of violence in IHK, Chidambaram reiterated the need for a political solution to the situation. He said, A starting point would be found in the next few days to reach out to protesters to reassure them of their rights. The home minister also expressed the willingness to hold talks with any group wishing to come forward and willing to talk.
Amends to AFSPA: Sources in the government indicated a flurry of activity to devise measures to arrest spiraling violence in the region. Officials in the home and defence ministries had been discussing amendments to the draconian Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) and redeployment of forces. The Defence Ministry had rejected the draft of amendments proposed by the Home Ministry, but, on the intervention of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the two ministries have agreed to work together to propose changes to the law.
Meeting: Sources also indicated that a high-level meeting has been scheduled in the next few days, during which the government will come out with specific measures to reach out to the protesters. This includes relocation of security forces, employment and rehabilitation package as well as a fresh surrender policy, they said.
IHK Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who is in New Delhi, met the home minister to discuss the situation in the state. He said that the violent protests should not be seen in the law and order situation context only, political initiatives should also be take at the earliest. He urged for an early amendment to the AFSPA and called for an employment package for IHKs half a million unemployed youth. Abdullah asserted that the time was ripe for the Indian government to take a political approach on Kashmir, the sources said.
Responding to a question about his statement at a conference of police chiefs in which he had said that dialogue would be started in a few days, Chidambaram said, I cant give a date. Few days means few days. Government hopes that it will be able to re-start the process of dialogue in the near future, he added.
Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan
* Amendments to Armed Forces Special Powers Act being drafted
* Forces relocation, employment package to be discussed at high-level meeting
By Iftikhar Gilani
NEW DELHI: Responding to unabated anti-India protests in Indian-held Kashmir (IHK), Indian Home Minister Palaniappan Chidambaram on Wednesday said that the government would reach out to protesters and expressed willingness to hold talks with any group that wished to engage in a dialogue.
Expressing concern that the government has not been able to stop the vicious cycle of violence in IHK, Chidambaram reiterated the need for a political solution to the situation. He said, A starting point would be found in the next few days to reach out to protesters to reassure them of their rights. The home minister also expressed the willingness to hold talks with any group wishing to come forward and willing to talk.
Amends to AFSPA: Sources in the government indicated a flurry of activity to devise measures to arrest spiraling violence in the region. Officials in the home and defence ministries had been discussing amendments to the draconian Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) and redeployment of forces. The Defence Ministry had rejected the draft of amendments proposed by the Home Ministry, but, on the intervention of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the two ministries have agreed to work together to propose changes to the law.
Meeting: Sources also indicated that a high-level meeting has been scheduled in the next few days, during which the government will come out with specific measures to reach out to the protesters. This includes relocation of security forces, employment and rehabilitation package as well as a fresh surrender policy, they said.
IHK Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who is in New Delhi, met the home minister to discuss the situation in the state. He said that the violent protests should not be seen in the law and order situation context only, political initiatives should also be take at the earliest. He urged for an early amendment to the AFSPA and called for an employment package for IHKs half a million unemployed youth. Abdullah asserted that the time was ripe for the Indian government to take a political approach on Kashmir, the sources said.
Responding to a question about his statement at a conference of police chiefs in which he had said that dialogue would be started in a few days, Chidambaram said, I cant give a date. Few days means few days. Government hopes that it will be able to re-start the process of dialogue in the near future, he added.
Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan
