Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday said she was willing to hold talks on the current crisis in the state with anybody willing to reject violence, PTI reported. Calling for the restoration of a "conducive atmosphere" for dialogue, Mufti said she will speak to “everybody who wants a peaceful resolution”.

The People’s Democratic Party leader said she informed Prime Minister Narendra Modi that people in the state had lost their “faith in dialogue”, even thought she held that “dialogue as an institution” was necessary for "containing the situation". She criticised those “hijacking” the unrest and influencing people to cause violence in the region. “There is no alternative to dialogue,” Mufti said, adding that Modi and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh had expressed their willingness to find "some kind of solution to this problem".

Mufti’s comments came even as parts of Srinagar and South Kashmir continued to remain under curfew on Sunday, the news agency reported. At least 25 people were injured in clashes between protestors and security forces the region on Saturday, according to PTI, with the toll following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani rising up to 68. Earlier, local traders claimed that the curfew and violence had cost the state’s economy over Rs 6,400 crore since the protests started in July.