Mehbooba hails Centre's initiative for dialogue with Kashmiris

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Monday hailed the Centre's decision to start a 'sustained dialogue' with people of the state.

Taking to Twitter she said, "Welcome the initiative of Union Government, appointing an interlocutor for leading a sustained dialogue with stakeholders in Jammu & Kashmir."

She further said dialogue is the need of the hour and the only way to go forward.

"This dialogue initiative is in line with P.M @narendramodi 's 15th August speech 'na goli se, na gaali se, Kashmir ki samasya suljhegi gale lagaane se'," she said in another tweet.

The Centre announced plans to start a dialogue process in Jammu and Kashmir and appointed former Intelligence Bureau (IB) Director Dineshwar Sharma as its representative for talks with "all" stakeholders in the state.

"The government has decided to start a sustained dialogue in Jammu and Kashmir. Former IB director Dineshwar Sharma will be Government of India's representative. Rank of Dineshwar Sharma will be equivalent to that of a Cabinet Secretary," Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh told media here.

He added that Sharma will initiate the dialogue with elected representatives of Jammu and Kashmir, political parties, different organisations and public.

Singh said that as the government's representative, Sharma will initiate the sustained interaction and dialogue to understand the legitimate aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

Referring to the unrest in Jammu and Kashmir, Singh said that Prime Minister Modi is determined to bring back peace to the Valley.