PDP leader wants separatists to join delegation for Ramadan truce

Jammu and Kashmir Works Minister Naeem Akhtar on Friday urged the separatist Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) to join an all-party delegation that will call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to seek a unilateral Ramadan ceasefire by security forces.

A local news agency KNS quoted the Minister as saying: "The proposal on ceasefire is in public domain and we all welcome the statements on ceasefire from people of all shades and political ideologies.

"Let JRL also join the all-party delegation to be sent to Delhi for dialogue on ceasefire and Pakistan must also respond to the ceasefire proposal keeping in view the feelings of Kashmiris," the news agency said.

If then Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Pakistan strongman Pervez Musharraf "could walk on the path of peace and ceasefire, why can't the present leaders in India and Pakistan follow suit to respect the feelings of Kashmiris", he asked.

JRL is a separatist conglomerate headed by Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umer Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik.

--IANS

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