SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) has decided to meet the Centre’s special representative Dineshwar Sharma currently on a week-long visit here, today.

“We have been invited for talks. We will definitely meet him (Sharma) probably in the second half of Wednesday,” JKPCC, Chief G A Mir told ‘Kashmir Wire’ here.

He said his party is organizing a “black day” tomorrow throughout the country on the first anniversary of demonetization. 

“We will be busy tomorrow. (In connection with black day). But As Sharma is leaving for Jammu on November 9, we are left with no option but to meet him tomorrow itself. We will definitely meet him in the second half of Wednesday.”

Another congress stalwart and former minister Taj Mohiuddin, however, said his party would welcome the steps aimed at resolving the issue and including all stakeholders including Hurriyat conference in the negotiations.

 “The talks should be held without any pre-condition. What is the fun of talking to the people who have no problem? The stand of the congress is well known to the world. We will come forward if the talks are held with all stakeholders including separatists,” he said.   

Pertinently, the main opposition party National Conference (NC) kept Sharma as guessing whether they will meet him or not.

 “We have not been formally invited yet and our leadership is away on a tour of frontier region of Kupwara for the last five days. We have not yet taken a decision about meeting him (Dineshwar sharma),” NC, General Secretary Ali Mohammad Sagar said.

He said his party has not taken a decision yet. The president of the party Dr Farooq Abdullah is scheduled to return here this evening. We will meet and take a decision (regarding the meeting or not meeting Sharma),” Sagar added.

Three prominent Kashmiri leaders – M Y Tarigami, MLA and state secretary of CPI(M), Hakeem Mohammad Yaseen, MLA from Khansahib constituency of Budgam district and democratic nationalist  party Chief Ghulam Hassan Mir are also expected to meet Sharma  today.

The Joint resistance leadership comprising Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umer Farooq and Mohammad Yaseen Malik have refused to meet Sharma saying “meeting Sharma is a futile exercise like his predecessors”.

Sharma arrived here yesterday to meet political, social, trade and other leaders to know their view point as to how to resolve the Kashmir issue.

Meanwhile, a number of delegations called on Sharma on the second day of his week-long visit to the state. Nearly 30 delegations and individuals met Sharma till this evening, officials said. 

On the opening day, only eight delegations met him at Hari Niwas guest house on the banks of Dal Lake yesterday.

The state government has roped in as many as 50 delegations of different political, social and trade organisations to meet Sharma in the next two days.  He will be in Jammu, winter capital of the state, for two days from November 9.

It was a busy day for the Centre’s special representative to J&K Dineshwar Sharma, who met 39 delegations on Tuesday, officials said.

 All Parties Sikh Coordination Committee (APSCC) led by its chairman Jagmohan Singh Raina raised the issues of Sikh community in the state.

 Two women from JK Sawa Kupwara emphasized redressal of the local issues, the women are facing in Kashmir.

 A delegation of All Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Conference led by Shafiq Ahmad Mir also met the Dineshwar Sharma and raised the issues of panchayat members. Human Welfare Association working for the welfare of released militants were led by its chairman Saifullah Farooq. A PDP youth delegation led by Waheed Rehman Parra also met the Dineshwar Sharma.

Voice of Youth led by Rather Mehraj, Tehreek Insaaf, Welfare Civil Society Kupwara led by its chairman Ghulam Ahmad Mir, Kashmir Pandit Sangarish Samiti, Cross LoC Trade Association, Global Youth Foundation led by Touseef Raina, Be the Change, Voice of Youth, Shivsena Hindustan, Redwinter led by Aqib, Youth Group Srinagar, J&K Doordarshan Non Migrant Pandits, Child Production Committee Global Youth Foundation, Muslim Rashtriya Manch, Rashtriya Samajwadi, All JK Auto Drivers Association, Shopkeepers Association, Ex-Serviceman Association, Help and Peace Foundation, a delegation led by Er Mehrah Khurshid who contested Srinagar parliamentary by-polls, a delegation led by G M Wani, retired judge, Lok Jan Shakti led by Sanjay Saraf and two individuals Tahir and Irfan were among the delegations which met Centre’s special representative to J&K. Representatives of Jantadal United led by G N Shaheen and Bhartiya Modi Army boycotted the meeting.

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