Talks Begin Between Indian Government, MilitantsTalks began in Kashmir Thursday afternoon between the Indian government and leaders of Hizbul Mujahideen, a major militant outfit in Kashmir, to work out modalities of a cease-fire announced by the militants last week, the Press Trust of India (PTI) reported.The talks, being held in Srinagar, capital of India-controlled Kashmir, were attended by a two-member Indian Home Ministry team headed by Home Secretary Kamal Pande and four commanders of Hizbul Mujahideen and Fazal Haq Qureshi, nominated mediator of the militant outfit, said the PTI. Qureshi was quoted as saying they had come for talks to work out modalities of the cease-fire. Last Saturday, Hizbul Mujahideen made a surprise announcement of a unilateral cease-fire, to which the Indian government responded with cessation of all military operations against the militants and an offer for peace talks. However, this had triggered a mass bloodshed in Kashmir on the evening of August 1 when militants opposed to the cease-fire launched a series of attacks against civilians, massacring at least 100 people and injuring nearly 100 others. The Indian government said on Wednesday that it would be deterred from holding talks with Hizbul Mujahideen by the bloody killings. Meanwhile, news from Islamabad said Hizbul Mujahideen threatened to end its cease-fire offer on August 8 if India insisted on excluding Pakistan from the peace talks. While respecting the cease-fire with Hizbul Mujahideen, India has not agreed to allow Pakistan a place at the negotiating table. |
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