Ghulam Nabi Azad says 'have come to J&K with hope'

Kashmir has been on the boil since the killing of Burhan Wani on July 8 as more than 70 people have lost their lives

Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, who is a part of the visiting all-party delegation to Srinagar, on Sunday expressed hope that a solution would soon emerge to end the current cycle of violence in the valley triggered post the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani on July 8.

Speaking to reporters upon his arrival at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre here, he said, "Let us hope for the best. We have come here with a hope. There was a big debate over the Kashmir issue in the Parliament in which every political party participated. We have come here with a hope that the enthusiasm and the commitment which all the opposition parties had shown in the Parliament, we want to see that here also. We want to meet the people here."

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, who is also a part of the delegation headed by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, said that he would like to hear the separatists speak on the present state of affairs in the valley.

Meanwhile, fresh incidents of violence were reported in south Kashmir where many people have been reported to sustain injuries as the all-party delegation arrived here on a two-day visit.

The delegation is scheduled to meet mainstream political parties, including National Conference working president Omar Abdullah. In the evening, a meeting is scheduled with Governor N N Vohra. The first meeting is taking place with Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and other state leaders.

Valley-based prominent civil society groups, traders' bodies, lawyers and doctors on Saturday announced their boycott to the all-party delegation.

Most separatist leaders, including Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Yasin Malik, remain behind the bars. There has been no response to Mufti's formal invitation to separatists.

Mehbooba has written to the separatist leadership requesting them to "take a lead and engage" with the delegation, "which will be the start of a credible and meaningful political dialogue and resolution process."

Expressing hope that the separatists would accept her offer, she wrote: "My party has always believed that the Hurriyat Conference is a stakeholder in the peace... and prosperity of the state."

Kashmir has been on the boil since the killing of Wani on July 8 as more than 70 people have lost their lives.