Sonia plays peacemaker for J&K

COMMITMENT TO COMMITTEE: n all likelihood, an eight-member committee will look into demilitarisation of J&K.

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New Delhi: The debate over reducing troop strength in Jammu and Kashmir could now see the formation of a committee on demilitarisation.

As the Kashmir crisis continued, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi stepped in to play the peacemaker on Monday.

She met PDP chief Mufti Mohammed Sayeed to iron out differences that the Congress has with his party over the demand for demilitarisation.

The move seemed to have paid off. After the meeting - attended by Defence Minister A K Antony and Congress troubleshooter Ahmed Patel - Mufti appeared positive.

“PM will announce about the committee,” said Mufti.

In all likelihood, an eight-member committee headed by National Security Advisor M K Narayanan will look into troop reduction and redeployment.

But Home Ministry officials have told CNN-IBN that the entire exercise would take close to four months, by which time security agencies will have a better idea of the levels of infiltration.

But experts are hardly enthused.

“What happens if troops move out thinking it’s safe from this area and terrorists’ attack?'' said former internal security advisor, Satish Chandra.

The meeting also gave out some politically crucial signals.

Despite Antony's stand that there shouldn't be any troop reduction in the Valley, he agreed to a closed door discussion with the NSA making it clear that, for the government, making a commitment in an election year is not going to be easy.