Srinagar, Jun 21 : National Conference (NC) president Dr Farooq Abdullah continued consultation for the second day on Monday with party leaders on invitation by the central government for talks at New Delhi on June 24 when Prime Minister Narendra Modi will preside over an All Party Meeting (APM) of Jammu and Kashmir leaders.
Former Chief Minister Dr Abdullah held talks with a number of senior party leaders at his Gupkar residence and the process of consultation continued for the second day today, NC general secretary Ali Mohammad Sagar told reporters.
He said the process of holding talks with party leaders from Jammu and Ladakh will continue tomorrow also.
Dr Abdullah, MP from Srinagar constituency, will the invitation from the centre with leaders of all the three regions—Kashmir, Jammu and Ladakh before taking a final decision, Mr Sagar said.
However, he said the agenda of the meeting called by the Centre was now known. ‘I have no knowledge about the agenda of the meeting,’ he said in reply to a question.
To another question, Sagar said Dr Abdullah will himself brief media after the consultation with party leaders will be over.
Provisional President of NC in Kashmir Nasir Aslam said now the Centre has realised that nothing can be achieved without the cooperation and involvement of mainstream leadership in Jammu and Kashmir.
The Centre had claimed that situation in the J&K will change after the abrogation of Article 370 and 35 A besides dividing the erstwhile state into two Union Territories (UTs) on August 5, 2019. Nothing has changed on the ground, Aslam said.
Since nothing has changed during all these two years of central rule, Centre has now taken a right step to involve the mainstream political party leaders, he said.
He said leaders of Peoples Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) are also meeting here on Wednesday to collectively discuss the invitation from the Centre and take a final decision.
One of the constituent of the PAGD Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Political Affairs Committee (PAC) has already authorised party president former CM Mehbooba Mufti to take a final call on the invitation. She is also to participate in the PAGD meeting.
Interestingly. the administration released two senior leaders of the PDP Sartaj Madni, maternal uncle of Mehbooba and Naeem Akhtar from detention ahead of Delhi meeting.
The Communist Party of India (M) Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, spokesperson of the Alliance, will also attend the PAGD meeting. He too has been invited for the meeting at New Delhi.
However, two other constituents of the PAGD—Awami Action Committee (AAC) and Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Movement—have not been invited for the PM’s All Party Meeting. However, they are attending the PAGD meeting on Wednesday.
The PAGD has time and again reiterated the demand of restoration of pre August 4, 2019 position in the J&K.
