Indian peace negotiator to visit Kashmir

Pant (center) will be seeing different people in Kashmir

NEW DELHI, India -- India's peace negotiator for troubled Kashmir, Krishan Chander Pant, will visit the disputed territory on Monday to meet a cross-section of people.

Last month the Indian government asked Pant to spearhead a peace dialogue with a broad range of groups in Kashmir, including those fighting Indian rule.

"Pant will meet leaders of political parties, public personalities, intellectuals, groups and individuals," an official statement said.

The statement said Pant would also hold discussions to assess the pace of development and meet representatives of trade and industry during his six-day visit.

Earlier this month he was invited to visit Jammu and Kashmir by the pro-India party of G.M. Shah, a former chief minister. Shah heads the Awami National Conference in Kashmir.

New Delhi called off its six-month suspension of hostilities against separatist guerrillas on Wednesday. India and Pakistan also both lay claim to the territory.

Nearly 30 people, including Indian security forces, separatist guerrillas and civilians have been killed since then.

Despite ending the ceasefire, India has invited Pakistan's military ruler, General Parvez Musharraf, for talks. A formal letter was sent on Friday.

The two neighbors have long been at odds over Kashmir, where nearly a dozen militant groups are fighting New Delhi's rule in India's only Muslim-majority state. Officials say more than 30,000 people have been killed in the Himalayan region since 1990.

Reuters contributed to this report.