India’s former Intelligence Chief Amar Singh Dulat Thursday advised New Delhi to start a fruitful dialogue with the people of Kashmir including separatist leadership of the State. He said Hurriyat hawk Syed Ali Geelani should not set any conditions for the dialogue with the Government of India.Talking to Kashmir based news agency CNS from New Delhi, A.S.Dulat said that Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has been facing a tough situation reminiscent to what Omar Abdullah faced in 2010. “Dialogue is the best option to diffuse the current unrest in Valley. Mehbooba can act as a bridge between New Delhi and separatist leadership and if the talks start, the situation in Kashmir will improve automatically,” he said.A. S. Dulat, a former special director of the Intelligence Bureau and former chief of the Research and Analysis Wing said that Syed Ali Geelani should not set any conditions for the dialogue. “Let all the separatist leadership including Mirwaiz Umar Farooq come forward and start a fruitful dialogue with India. New Delhi must show seriousness while engaging separatist leaders. Not only separatist leaders, New Delhi should also talk to people of Kashmir to find a solution to Kashmir problem. The lack of interest on part of New Delhi will only complicate the situation,” he said.
All but 51 people including two policemen have been killed so for in the ongoing protests in Kashmir Valley since July 8, the day when local Hizb commander Burhan Wani along with his two associates was killed in a South Kashmir’s Bimbdora village. Most of civilians were either killed by bullets or pellets.Dulat while vehemently condemned the use of pellet guns on protesters in Valley said that bullets and pellets only aggravate the situation. “Once you use pellets and bullets you are bound to invite the wrath of the people. This leads to alienation and anger. It is sorry to state that security forces didn’t follow Standard Operating Procedures in Valley while dealing with unarmed protesters,” he said.A.S.Dulat who served as the Head of Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) from 1999 to 2000 said steps should be taken to create and effective communication link between Srinagar and New Delhi. “Separatists and people of Kashmir are key and New Delhi without wasting any time should directly communicate to them. This way the Kashmir problem can be easily solved,” he said. (CNS)