Biggest CBM ever, says PDP; Hurriyat welcomes, says we will decide on talks

Except for the lone hawk Syed Ali Shah Geelani, there is across-the-board approval of the Prime Minister8217;s decision to cut troops in th...

Except for the lone hawk Syed Ali Shah Geelani, there is across-the-board approval of the Prime Minister8217;s decision to cut troops in the state8212;from the Hurriyat moderates to the opposition National Conference. All of them strongly welcomed the decision adding that the key to this decision lies in the fine print.

For the Mufti Mohammed Sayeed government and the PDP, there couldn8217;t have been a better gift from New Delhi, caught as it is in a storm after a politically disastrous trip by Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil that coincided with the alleged rape of a woman by an Army officer.

8216;8216;It is a major step,8217;8217; Sayeed told The Indian Express. 8216;8216;In fact, even such a thought generates confidence. We are delighted.8217;8217;

8216;8216;It indicates that the Prime Minister is very keen to resolve this problem. It will have an immensely positive impact on relations with Pakistan and will generate a lot of hope and confidence among people in our state.8217;8217;

Mufti said he hoped this would help bring the separatists back to the negotiating table. 8216;8216;I am happy but I wish the dialogue with the Hurriyat had continued. They, too, would then have taken credit for such a serious confidence-building measure,8217;8217; he said.

Mufti8217;s daughter and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti called it an 8216;8216;Eid gift8217;8217; from the Prime minister to Kashmir. 8216;8216;This is the biggest confidence-building measure ever announced in Kashmir,8217;8217; she said. 8216;8216;You have seen the impact of the ceasefire on the borders but this measure is more important because it will have a positive impact on the internal situation in the state.8217;8217; She said this takes the CBMs between the two countries to a new level. 8216;8216;Now we are moving towards a real and meaningful peace process.8217;8217;

Hurriyat moderates were a little more guarded in their welcome. 8216;8216;This is a positive step,8217;8217; said former Hurriyat Chairman Maulvi Abbas Ansari.

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8216;8216;But this measure should not remain limited to the borders only. It should have its positive impact on the people living in the state8217;8217;. 8216;8216;The reduction in numbers will not help if the forces don8217;t change their behaviour,8217;8217; Ansari said in a reference to the recent rape.

When asked if the decision will help resume their stalled dialogue with the Centre, Ansari said: 8216;8216;We are meeting soon after Eid and we will discuss it.8217;8217;

Another executive leader, Bilal Lone, too welcomed PM8217;s statement. 8216;8216;It is a good sign and we hope it will lead to further measures to resolve the Kashmir issue.8217;8217;

Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who leads the Hurriyat doves, is said to have reserved his reaction for tomorrow when he addresses people at the Jamia Masjid on the occasion of the last Friday of the fasting month of Ramzan.

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The National Conference, too, welcomed the decision but, like the Hurriyat, sought clarifications. 8216;8216;We welcome it. We want this troop reduction to be carried out inside the state, especially in the Valley so that its impact is felt by the people,8217;8217; NC President Omar Abdullah said.

Muzamil Jaleel

Muzamil Jaleel is a Deputy Editor at The Indian Express and is widely recognized as one of India’s most authoritative voices on Jammu & Kashmir, national security, and internal affairs. With a career spanning over 30 years, he has provided definitive on-the-ground reportage from the heart of the Kashmir conflict, bearing witness to historic political transitions and constitutional shifts. Expertise and Investigative Depth Muzamil’s work is characterized by a rare combination of ground-level immersion and high-level constitutional analysis. His expertise includes: Conflict & Geopolitics: Decades of reporting on the evolution of the Kashmir conflict, the Indo-Pak peace process, and the socio-political dynamics of the Himalayan region. Constitutional Law: Deep-dive analysis of Article 370 and Article 35A, providing clarity on the legal and demographic implications of their abrogation in 2019. Human Rights & Accountability: A relentless investigator of state and non-state actors, uncovering systemic abuses including fake encounters and the custodial death of political workers. International War Reporting: Beyond South Asia, he provided on-the-spot coverage of the final, decisive phase of the Sri Lankan Civil War in 2009. Landmark Exposés & Impact Muzamil’s reporting has repeatedly forced institutional accountability and shaped national discourse: The Kashmir Sex Scandal (2006): His investigative series exposed a high-profile exploitation nexus involving top politicians, bureaucrats, and police officers, leading to the sacking and arrest of several senior officials. Fake Encounters: His reports blew the lid off cases where innocent civilians were passed off as "foreign terrorists" by security forces for gallantry awards. SIMI Investigations: He conducted a massive deep-dive into the arrests of SIMI members, using public records to show how innocuous religious gatherings were often labeled as incriminating activities by investigative agencies. The Amarnath Land Row: Provided critical context to the 2008 agitation that polarized the region and altered its political trajectory. Over the years, Muzamil has also covered 2002 Gujarat riots, Bhuj earthquake, assembly elections in Bihar for Indian Express. He has also reported the peace process in Northern Ireland, war in Sri Lanka and national elections in Pakistan for the paper. Awards and Fellowships His "Journalism of Courage" has been honored with the industry's most prestigious accolades: Four Ramnath Goenka Awards: Recognized for J&K Reportage (2007), On-the-Spot Reporting (2009), and Reporting on Politics and Government (2012, 2017). Kurt Schork Award: From Columbia University for international journalism. Sanskriti Award: For excellence in Indian journalism and literature. IFJ Tolerance Prize: For his empathetic and nuanced reporting in South Asia. International Fellowships: Served as a visiting scholar at UC Berkeley and worked with The Guardian, The Observer, and The Times in London. He has also received Chevening fellowship and a fellowship at the Institute of Social Studies, Hague, Netherlands. Professional Presence Current Location: New Delhi (formerly Bureau Chief, Srinagar). Education: Master’s in Journalism from Kashmir University. Social Media: Follow him for field insights and rigorous analysis on X (Twitter) @MuzamilJALEEL. ... Read More