PM calls for peace in Kashmir

Excerpts from Power Breakfast on CNBC-TV18 Watch the full show » Nifty BSE | NSE 10/02/12 Are Mutual Funds betting on Nifty?

Peace in Kashmir has become top priority for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh . He called upon Pranab Mukherjee to devise a strategy to overcome the crisis. But with the ongoing protests, peace initiatives may face some hurdles, reports CNBC-TV18.

It's yet another day of violence in Kashmir but it has pressed panic buttons in New Delhi. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh called in his chief troubleshooter Rranab Mukherjee late at night to devise a strategy. The PM is worried about the deep communal division setting in as was evident from his Independence Day speech.

"This land is the biggest symbol of our secularism. Dividing people in the name of faith will not solve these problems," he said in his speech.

With the two month Amarnath Yatra coming  to an end on Saturday, security forces in the state would have one major worry off their hands. But there are a slew of protests scheduled for the day. Hurriyat leaders are holding a march to Panpore to condole the deaths in the violence. The Hurriyat says it is willing to respond to the PM's call for peace, on its terms.

Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Hurriyat leader, said, "The people of Kashmir have the right to trade with Pakistan."

The PM has called upon the people in J&K to cooperate in maintaining peace, but with public resentment in the valley high over alleged police overreaction to the protests, peace initiatives are likely to take longer than expected.