J&K: PDP to skip 'purposeless' all-party meet

Jammu and Kashmir's main opposition People's Democratic Party on Friday decided to stay away from the all-party meeting called by the Omar Abdullah government on Monday to discuss the present situation in Kashmir valley, dubbing it as a "purposeless exercise".

"PDP is unable to appreciate the purpose of calling a meeting of political parties at this juncture. We see no merit in it and therefore would want to be excused out of this purposeless exercise," the party said.

The invitation was extended to all 12 recognised political parties and groups by Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs Ali Mohammed Sagar, an official spokesman said.

These parties and groups include National Conference, Indian National Congress, PDP, Bharatiya Janata Party, Panthers Party, Communist Party of India-Marxist, CPI, Peoples Democratic Forum, Democratic Party (Nationalist) Bahujan Samaj Party, Rashtriya Janata Dal and Nationalist Congress Party.

A similar notice was issued by the minister on Friday in respect of the meeting of MLAs and MLCs of coalition partners on July 11, the spokesman said.

However, PDP sent a reply saying the "meeting notice" has many "loopholes even as the format of the notice leaves much to be desired in terms of etiquette and the purpose of meeting..."

"The notice surprisingly doesn't make any mention of the agenda for the meeting," a reply signed by Naeem Akhthar of PDP to Sagar said.

PDP pointed out that its patron Mufti Mohammed Sayeed had earlier demanded a special session of the state assembly to discuss the "alienation" and human rights violations.

"The suggestion was rejected with a degree of contempt by the Chief Minister (Omar Abdullah) as having no merit in it," it said. Highlighting a few other incidents of violence, PDP accused the government of being non-serious.