Srinagar, May 14 -- Former Jammu and Kashmir minister and Apni Party president Syed Muhammad Altaf Bukhari on Thursday asserted that while the Central government will take a call on engaging with Pakistan based on the overall national scenario, there can be no delay in initiating a dialogue with the people of Jammu and Kashmir to address their "genuine concerns and long-pending grievances".

His remarks come in the backdrop of RSS General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale and former Army Chief Gen Manoj Naravane (retd) speaking about the possibility of dialogue with Pakistan. Altaf Bukhari said these were matters for the Centre to decide, but stressed that the situation in J&K cannot be called normal.

"I am saying this again and again becaus...