If ‘non-official’ dialogue acceptable with Afghan Taliban, why not in Kashmir, asks Omar

Srinagar: Former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Omar Abdullah questioned New Delhi’s participation in Afghanistan peace talks, all the while holding no talks with non-mainstream stakeholders of the region.

Earlier on Thursday, India announced that it would participate in the Moscow meeting on Afghanistan at a “non-official level”, Times of India reported.

The Moscow meeting will be held on 9 November.

“We are aware that the Russian Federation is hosting a meeting in Moscow on 9 November on Afghanistan. Our participation at the meeting will be at the non-official level,” said Raveesh Kumar, a spokesman for India’s Ministry of External Affairs as he addressed reporters in New Delhi on Thursday.

He said India supports all efforts for peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan that will preserve unity and plurality, and bring security, stability and prosperity to the country.

Taking to social media Twitter, Omar said: “If “non-official” participation in a dialogue that includes the taliban is acceptable to the Modi government why not a “non-official” dialogue with non-mainstream stake holders in J&K? Why not a “non-official” dialogue centered around J&K’s eroded autonomy & its restoration?”

The long-awaited meeting, organized by Moscow, is expected to take place in the Russian capital on Friday, and will reportedly look at ways to find peace in Afghanistan.

This week, the Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) said the Afghan government would not be sending a delegation to the summit but a High Peace Council (HPC) official said they would attend the meeting in an independent capacity.

The HPC officials said they would send a delegation, led by Hajji Deen Mohammad, the deputy head of the peace council but that no talks would be held with the Taliban.

On Tuesday, the Taliban also confirmed it would send a delegation to the meeting.