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Lone invited for talks with PM
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 10
Broadening the dialogue process in Jammu and Kashmir, the has invited separatist leader Sajjad Lone of People’s Conference for talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on January 14.

Mr Lone, younger son of assassinated Hurriyat leader Abdul Gani Lone, was asked to come for talks as part of the UPA government’s efforts to braodbase the dialogue process to find a solution to the Kashmir problem. The UPA government has so far held one round of talks with the Hurriyat Conference led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq.

Sources said the UPA government was keen to broaden the ambit of talks and include in talks other sections of opinion in the separatist camp. The offer of talks to Mr Lone was likely to be followed by a similar offer to Mr Shabir Shah of Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party.

The sources said a senior separatist leader outside the Hurriyat Conference had already communicated his views to the government.