New Delhi:
The wait for the Centre's Kashmir peace package is over and the steps proposed are far reaching.
Just days after the all-party delegation visited Kashmir, the government today announced that the stone pelting protesters will be released from the various jails across the state and charges against them will be dropped. There will also be a debate on the notion of the 'disturbed areas' in the state - all a part of the fresh peace initiative with a new set of interlocutors, who will engage political parties, leading members of the civil society, and even youth groups, some of whom have been spearheading the stone-throwing mobs.
"The government of India will appoint a group of interlocutors under the Chairmanship of an eminent person, to begin the process of a sustained dialogue with all the groups in Kashmir," said Home Minister P Chidambaram, after the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) met in New Delhi today. (
Watch: Home Minister on CCS meet on Kashmir)
Since 2001, 3 official and 3 unofficial interlocutors have been appointed by different governments. Details of the new groups are still being worked out, but sources have told NDTV that the group of interlocutors will be headed by a politician.
Perhaps what will be most closely tracked in the valley is the Centre's decision to ask the Unified Command to review disturbed areas.
This is significant because if the Unified Command was to decide that certain areas are not distrubed, then the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFPSA) will not apply. The home ministry has been pushing for an amendment in this controversial act , but the 3 military chiefs have opposed it.
The Home Minister said, "We will request the state government to immediately convene a meeting of the unified command, and review the deployment of security forces in the Kashmir valley, especially Srinagar, with particular reference in descaling the number of check points and bunkers in Srinagar and other towns and to review the notification of the areas as disturbed areas."
The Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Omar Abdullah welcomes the decision. "I will hold a meeting of the Unified Command, later this week, in which we will discuss the modalities of reducing the footprints of security forces in cities, particularly the areas that have been designated as disturbed areas. This is what the state government has to do and we will be operationalising in the next few days. But don't expect results after first meet, it will take time. We need to discuss how to reduce security forces' footprint," Omar said. (
Watch: We welcome Centre's decision on Kashmir, says Omar)
The Chief Minister also said his government would act on the Centre's advise - all schools and colleges in Kashmir will reopen from Monday, and the state government will release over 245 young men and women arrested for stone-pelting and violating the Public Security Act.
In the last 3 months over a 100 civilians have died in the valley. The Centre, in its package, has tried to reach out to their families. Rs 5 lakh will be given to the next-of-kin of those killed in civilian disturbances since June 11 this year.
The government also announced the appointment of 2 special task forces, one each for Jammu and Ladakh, to look into the development of those regions. The Centre will also provide an additional assistance of Rs 100 crore to the state.
The state's main opposition party, the PDP, welcomed the move calling it 'a beginning'.
"This is a much awaited beginning, but this will have to followed-up with all seriousness, and more political measures in the days to come," said Naeem Akhtar, a senior PDP leader.
Reacting to the Home Minister's statement, the Mirwaiz Umar Farooq-led All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) today said that it has for a long time being reiterating the implementation of certain measures for improving the ground situation and creating an atmosphere free of intimidation and coersion. However the spokesman added, that the statement will be discussed at an APHC meeting
But Syed Ali Shah Geelani said, " Its an eyewash, Kashmir should be accepted as a dispute. Complete demilitarization of Kashmir should take place." While the hardliners are cynical, most hope it will be a new beginning for the state.