Home minister, Rajnath Singh, who chaired the security meet, was suggested to hold dialogue with Pakistan and Hurriyat by the top officials from across India

Top government officials from across India who attended a security meet chaired by Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday suggested holding a dialogue with the separatists as well as Pakistan to ease tensions in the Kashmir Valley and along the border, the Hindu newspaper reported.

The newspaper report said that Singh sought the views of top intelligence and State government officials and the Army at the two-day National Security Strategies Conference, organised by the Intelligence Bureau (IB) in Delhi.

According to the report quoting a government official, majority of them were of the view that Hurriyat should be roped in for talks

Union Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba, Director IB Rajiv Jain, J&K DGP S.P Vaid, CRPF DG R.R Bhatnagar participated in the discussion, the report added.

The newspaper report claimed that there was a broad consensus that India should make efforts to hold a dialogue with Pakistan to stop the current spell of cross-border firing in Jammu that has claimed eleven lives so far.

“Except for one or two, most officials thought that the separatists should be brought to the table for a lasting solution in the Kashmir Valley. There was a panel discussion on the subject and Mr. Singh individually asked officials present to give their views. The Minister did not present his views, but took copious notes,” the Hindu newspaper quoted an unknown government official, who was present in the meeting, as saying.