Track 2 in J038;K with former CIC

After naming Lt Gen V K Madan its interlocutor on the Gorkhaland issue,the Centre last week appointed former Intelligence Bureau director P C Haldar as the interlocutor for Assam. While no appointment has been made for Jammu and Kashmir yet,it is believed the government is content using the services of Wajahat Habibullah,who recently quit as head of the Central Information Commission to join the Jammu and Kashmir Information Commission as the chief,for the job for the time being. He may be utilised to bridge the gap with the separatists. This is important since Prime Minister Manmohan Singhs visit to the Valley last week marked a slight shift in the Centres policy towards the state. Though he did not invite the separatists for talks,as was being expected in some quarters,the Prime Minister did keep all options open,unlike in his Independence Day speech last year when he had ruled out dialogue with separatist groups.