“It is encouraging to see Modi reaching out to our neighbours at the very beginning of his tenure as the Prime Minister. He has actually sent out an encouraging signal that he is serious about following (former PM) Atal Bihari Vajpayee's initiatives of friendship towards Pakistan,” Mehbooba later said in a release.
Expressing hope that the Pakistan Prime Minister would respond positively to the invite, Mehbooba said Jammu and Kashmir is looking forward with renewed hope to a new beginning for the resolution of the Kashmir issue.
“Pakistan and Kashmir have historically been the two major challenges that all prime ministers have faced and it augurs well that Modi has recognised the importance of Pakistan as a neighbour at the outset and set the ball rolling for a meaningful engagement,” she said, adding that “this should not remain confined to cosmetics of an inaugural ceremony but must result in solid progress on the ground.”
Mehhbooba said that Kashmir could offer the window of opportunity for Modi to build a platform for an all-inclusive agenda as he needs to bridge the trust deficit with the minorities in the country.
