Srinagar, Oct 20: New Delhi’s panel of interlocutors for Kashmir, which kickstarted its mission on Wednesday with a formal briefing by the union home minister, P Chidambaram, about its mandate, said its agenda was for a comprehensive and political settlement of the Kashmir "dispute", reports Kashmir Observer.
Emerging from the hour long meeting, eminent journalist Dileep Padgaonkar said, "The tight focus will be for seeking a political outcome so that we put this dispute well and truly behind us."
Padgaonkar was accompanied by two other panel members, noted academician Radha Kumar and former CIC member MM Ansari.
Padgaonkar said the home minister gave an extensive idea of the mandate for the group.
"The mandate, to put very simply, is that our group will hold the largest possible consultations with all sections of opinion in Jammu and Kashmir and the focus of this dialogue is to seek as large area of agreement as you can to get to arrive at a comprehensive, political settlement of the Kashmir dispute, PTI quoted him as saying.
"We are obviously aware of the history of many initiatives that have been taken but now we have been given a wide mandate.
Emerging from the hour long meeting, eminent journalist Dileep Padgaonkar said, "The tight focus will be for seeking a political outcome so that we put this dispute well and truly behind us."
Padgaonkar was accompanied by two other panel members, noted academician Radha Kumar and former CIC member MM Ansari.
Padgaonkar said the home minister gave an extensive idea of the mandate for the group.
"The mandate, to put very simply, is that our group will hold the largest possible consultations with all sections of opinion in Jammu and Kashmir and the focus of this dialogue is to seek as large area of agreement as you can to get to arrive at a comprehensive, political settlement of the Kashmir dispute, PTI quoted him as saying.
"We are obviously aware of the history of many initiatives that have been taken but now we have been given a wide mandate.
No red lines have been drawn. We have not been told to do this or do that.
Padgaonkar said panel will soon call on the Prime Minister (Manmohan Singh), UPA chairperson (Sonia Gandhi) and the leader of the opposition (Sushma Swaraj) besides members of the All Party delegation that traveled to Kashmir recently.
With a year-long timeframe to hold its discussions and submit a report, the group’s composition was the subject of severe criticism because of its non-political nature.
Though the fourth member of the group is yet to be nominated, the interlocutors are gearing up to get down to business, scepticism and criticism notwithstanding.
Earlier talking to the press Padgaonkar had said that extreme caution was necessary for a “delicate” issue like Kashmir.
“Premature comments on our mission or personal criticism will not dishearten me or tell adversely on our mission,” Padgaonkar said.
“We will be prepared to talk on any issue, and will discuss anything that is brought to the table,” he said.
The group was learnt to be planning week-long visits to the valley every month for discussions with every possible section, with particular emphasis on engaging the youth and students of the valley.
Top separatist leaders Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Mirwaiz Umer Farooq have already termed the nomination of the interlocutors as a futile exercise not matching their expectations of a major political initiative.
Though mainstream forces repose some hopes in the group, they are not entirely happy with its composition.
Chief minister Omar Abdullah has asked the union home minister to nominate the fourth member keeping in view the expectations of Kashmiris to uphold the credibility of the group.
Padgaonkar said panel will soon call on the Prime Minister (Manmohan Singh), UPA chairperson (Sonia Gandhi) and the leader of the opposition (Sushma Swaraj) besides members of the All Party delegation that traveled to Kashmir recently.
With a year-long timeframe to hold its discussions and submit a report, the group’s composition was the subject of severe criticism because of its non-political nature.
Though the fourth member of the group is yet to be nominated, the interlocutors are gearing up to get down to business, scepticism and criticism notwithstanding.
Earlier talking to the press Padgaonkar had said that extreme caution was necessary for a “delicate” issue like Kashmir.
“Premature comments on our mission or personal criticism will not dishearten me or tell adversely on our mission,” Padgaonkar said.
“We will be prepared to talk on any issue, and will discuss anything that is brought to the table,” he said.
The group was learnt to be planning week-long visits to the valley every month for discussions with every possible section, with particular emphasis on engaging the youth and students of the valley.
Top separatist leaders Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Mirwaiz Umer Farooq have already termed the nomination of the interlocutors as a futile exercise not matching their expectations of a major political initiative.
Though mainstream forces repose some hopes in the group, they are not entirely happy with its composition.
Chief minister Omar Abdullah has asked the union home minister to nominate the fourth member keeping in view the expectations of Kashmiris to uphold the credibility of the group.
