The ruling PDP on Thursday said while forging an alliance with the BJP in J&K, their “first and last condition” for Prime Minister Narendra Modi was a dialogue process with Pakistan for a “peaceful resolution” of all outstanding issues.
The PDP statement has come a day after the Centre stated it had received no proposal from Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti for a dialogue with Pakistan for bringing peace in the state.
“I don’t think there is a need to send a fresh letter to the Union Government seeking initiation of dialogue and friendship with Pakistan. Talks with Pakistan and Kashmiris were the preconditions put forth by late Mufti Mohammad Sayeed before the Prime Minister. This is the foundation of our relationship and alliance with the BJP in J&K,” Sartaj Madni, PDP vice-president and Mehbooba’s maternal uncle told reporters on the sidelines of a party workers’ convention here.
“Late Mufti Sahib took three months to draft the Agenda of Alliance (AoA). The AoA, agreed upon by the Prime Minister, formed the basis of this relationship and alliance. In the AoA, dialogue was the first and last condition. The PDP has always advocated for having dialogue with Pakistan and Kashmiris. I don’t think that there is a need to send a fresh letter to the Centre that we should hold talks with Pakistan,” Madni said.
The PDP leader said the experiment of Dineshwar Sharma, who has been appointed as Centre’s representative to hold talks with different shades of opinion in J&K, would not go waste.
Talks with Pak was precondition for ties with BJP: PDP
