SRINAGAR: The central government’s interlocutor on Jammu and Kashmir, Dineshwar Sharma, is starting his second visit to the valley state tomorrow, where he will also visit the militancy-infested south Kashmir.
Sharma would arrive in the state's winter capital Jammu tomorrow, to mark the beginning of his four-day visit, sources said.
“Sharma would stay in Jammu for two days. After completion of his Jammu visit, he would visit Srinagar, where he would also stay for two days,” sources said.
Sharma would be meeting the representatives of political parties, traders, NGO, migrant Kashmiri Pandits, West Pakistan Refugees (WPRs) and civil society members in the winter capital.
Sources also added that the interlocutor would also be interacting with the border residents, who have been affected by the Pakistani troops' firing and mortar shelling.
On his recommendations, Union Ministry of Home Affairs has decided to reimburse the expenses incurred by the J&K government on damages caused to houses, agriculture and livestock in ceasefire violations by Pakistani troops along the Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB) in the State.
“As a new initiative, MHA will reimburse the expenditure incurred by the state government for providing relief to people affected by cross-border firing at rates equal to NDRF guidelines,” sources said.
During his two-day stay in Valley, he would be meeting about 25 political and apolitical delegations.
Talking to New Indian Express, Sharma earlier said that he was planning to visit south Kashmir during his second visit to the State beginning tomorrow.
Sources said he would be interacting with the security officials, youth and political leaders in south Kashmir.
South Kashmir comprising four districts of Anantnag, Shopian, Pulwama and Kulgam is militancy infested and according to security officials about 100-120 militants are active in the region.
The south Kashmir was also the epicenter of last year’s unrest in the Valley following the killing of Hizbul commander Burhan Wani on July 8, 2016.
At least 92 civilians were killed and over 12000 injured in security forces' firing on protestors during the unrest.
Asked whether he would also be meeting the families of two youth, who recently surrendered before security forces on the appeal of their families, Sharma said, “If they come to meet me, I will definitely meet them”.
“If anybody wants to meet me and if anybody has problem, I am open to meet them,” he said.
It remains to be seen whether Sharma would be sending an invitation to the separatist leaders, who refused to meet him during his first visit.
The traders and civil society members in Kashmir had also refused to meet Sharma during his first visit as interlocutor.