Yashwant Sinha-led delegation meets Mirwaiz Umar Farooq in Srinagar

SRINAGAR: A high-level delegation led by former Union minister Yashwant Sinha met Hurriyat Conference chief Mirwaiz Umar Farooq in Srinagar Saturday.The delegation comprising Air Vice Marshal (Retd) Kapil Kak, senior journalist Bharat Bhushan and social activist Sushobha Barve, met at Mirwaiz’s residence. In a statement, Mirwaiz said they discussed

Jammu and Kashmir

’s overall situation and issues such as “the need for sustained engagement, addressing humanitarian aspects including the situation of political detainees, and the importance of easing public hardships”.

He said, “Both sides agreed that continued communication and outreach are vital to building trust and creating an environment of stability and hope.”This was the first time after the abrogation of

Article 370

that a delegation led by Sinha was allowed to meet Mirwaiz. “They were not allowed (in 2021) as I was under house arrest at that time,” Mirwaiz said. Following the 2019 abrogation of Article 370, he was under house arrest for four years and released in Sept 2023.