SHARMA, J&K GOVT DISCUSS PARAMETERS OF PROPOSED TALKS

NEW DELHI: Centre’s newly-appointed special representative for holding a sustained dialogue in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) Dineshwar Sharma on Sunday called on the state’s Governor NN Vohra and discussed the broad parameters of the proposed talks with stake holders.

The hour-long meeting which took place at the Kashmir House here comes days after the Centre announced the appointment of Sharma as its special representative to initiate dialogue, in a fresh move aimed at bringing peace to the troubled state.

After the meeting, a release issued by the Raj Bhavan said the governor briefed Sharma “in great detail about the environment and the expectations and hopes of political parties and the people at large from the ensuing dialogue.”

“The governor assured him of all help, as he may require, in carrying through his task, and wished him high success in his endeavour,” the statement said.

Vohra, an experienced hand in handling Kashmir, has been the governor of the state since 2008. In the early 2000’s, he was also appointed by the then Vajpayeeled government as an interlocutor for talks in J&K.

‘FOCUS ON COUNTERING ONLINE PROPAGANDA’

Earlier in the day, Sharma, while speaking to a news agency, said his focus in the new role would be to prevent the Valley’s youth from falling prey to false online propaganda.

Sharma, who will be heading for his maiden visit in his new role to J&K , said countering false sloganeering and propaganda available online will top his agenda to wean away youth from