Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will hold crucial talks with pro-independence Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front chairman Yasin Malik on Friday, a week ahead of the proposed roundtable on the Kashmir issue with political leaders, separatists and other groups.
The dialogue with Malik will be the prime minister's second meeting with a separatist group outside the Hurriyat Conference fold, aimed at widening the scope of the peace process in Jammu and Kashmir.
The meeting will be held on Friday evening at the prime minister's 7 Race Course Road residence. Malik accepted the invitation on Wednesday.
Speaking in Srinagar, Malik said he will urge Dr Singh to include the 'true' representatives of the people, besides the militant leadership, to make the ongoing dialogue process more meaningful and not just a 'photo opportunity process'.
Malik said he, along with JKLF general secretary Ghulam Rasool Dar, would meet Dr Singh with a 'transparent agenda' of involving the people of the state in the dialogue process. He said the decision to meet the prime minister was taken after two days of hectic discussions within his faction.
"The JKLF units in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and the United Kingdom were consulted. After two days of meetings of the advisory council and the working committee, it was decided that talks would be held with the prime minister,'' he added.
Malik said he would not travel to New Delhi to hold a dialogue process, but to present his views and not the roadmaps on the resolution of the Kashmir issue.
"I will present a clear picture of the situation. Presenting mere roadmaps will be suicidal for the people," he added.
Malik, who is scheduled to arrive in Delhi on Thursday, said he would also present to the prime minister a copy of 15 lakh signatures taken from the people in about 5000 villages of Jammu and Kashmir over the past three years during his signature campaign.
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