The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Sunday said the priority of the PDP-BJP coalition government in Jammu and Kashmir should be to restore peace in the Kashmir Valley.
NCP leader Tariq Anwar welcomed Saturday's meeting between Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
"It is good that the meeting between Mehbooba Mufti and the Prime Minister took place. The effort should be to bring peace to Kashmir..this should be the priority. I believe Mehbooba Mufti's allegation on Pakistan is right to some extent. Pakistan is trying to fan the flames, but it is useless to expect something else from Pakistan," Anwar told ANI.
Mehbooba yesterday asserted that if Pakistan is really concerned about the situation in the valley, it will help fix the crisis, rather fanning the flames.
Addressing the media here after her meeting with Prime Minister Modi at his 7 RCR official residence, Mufti asserted that he was extremely concerned about the situation and that he had expressed his desire to stop the bloodshed in the valley and also ensured that the state will emerge from the crisis.
Lauding Prime Minister Modi's approach towards Pakistan, Mufti stated that he had not only invited Nawaz Sharif for his oath taking ceremony in May 2014, but had also gone to Lahore for Prime Minister Sharif's birthday last December, but thereafter the Pathankot incident happened and ties between the two nations went downhill.
Appealing to Pakistan, she added that if they have any sympathy for the people of Kashmir, then they will stop provoking the youth into attacking security forces by saying that it will solve the unrest in the valley.
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Invoking former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Mufti stated that during his regime, talks with Pakistan and the Hurriyat were a common affair, because of which, the situation in Kashmir was somewhat neutralised.
Appearing to be visibly moved when talking about the rising death toll in the valley, which mostly comprises of youths and minors, Mufti said that the very kids who had supported her during her electoral campaign days, were now being used against her.
Defending the curfew which has now entered its 50th day, she said the purpose of imposing restrictions was to save the lives of locals and children.
She further asserted that the separatists must come forward and help the state government in figuring out a solution to the Kashmir unrest.
Talking about the all party delegation which is to head to Kashmir to discuss the unrest, she said that developments on the meeting will begin in almost a week's time.
Meanwhile, the situation in the valley continued to be grim as a police constable was shot dead by terrorists in Pulwama District on Saturday.
Normal life in the Kashmir Valley remained paralysed as a curfew and a shutdown continued for the 50th consecutive day on Saturday following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani last month.
All educational institutions, shops, public transport and other businesses are closed since July 9.
Earlier, the authorities had arrested several top separatist leaders and extended curfew to large parts of the valley to foil a separatists' march in Srinagar.
The death toll in the valley reached 67 on Friday, as another youth succumbed to his injuries in clashes that broke out between security forces and the locals in Pulwama district.