Muslim delegation on ‘peace mission’ to Valley soon

New Delhi, August 31

A delegation of prominent Muslim leaders will visit Jammu and Kashmir soon as part of an unofficial initiative to help bring peace in Kashmir valley, which has been witnessing unrest for more than 50 days.

The Muslim leaders from various parts of the country met Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on two occasions recently and expressed their willingness to visit Jammu and Kashmir to help bring peace.

Sources said Rajnath Singh had conveyed to the Muslim leaders that they were free to visit anywhere and if their trip to the Valley helps bring peace, it would be a welcome step.

However, the sources made it clear that the Muslim leaders were not authorised to carry out any ‘Track-II’ dialogue with any stakeholder in Kashmir.

The visit of the Muslim leaders has nothing to do with any ‘Track-II’ initiative but a goodwill initiative as all right thinking people are concerned over the situation in Kashmir, they said.

The Muslim leaders are free to meet anyone, can interact with any individual, groups or separatists whomever they wish to meet, the sources said.

They will undertake the visit after the two-day tour of an all-party delegation on September 4 and 5.

Those who could be part of the Muslim delegation are former Rajya Sabha MP Shahid Siddiqui, former interlocutor for Jammu and Kashmir MM Ansari, defence analyst Qamar Agha and senior journalist Zafarul Islam Khan.

The Valley has been witnessing turmoil ever since the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani on July 8. So far, 70 people have lost their lives in the 54 days of unrest in the Kashmir valley. PTI