From correspondents in Delhi, India, 07:31 PM IST

Leaders of India's political parties Wednesday issued a joint appeal for restoring peace in Jammu and Kashmir, which has been on the boil for over two months now in the wake of the Amarnath shrine land row.

'It is imperative that communalisation of the situation is prevented as this would impact on the secular fabric of the country,' External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said late Wednesday night, reading out from a prepared statement.

Mukherjee's remarks came after a marathon meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, which representatives of all political parties attended here.

(Staff Writer, © IANS)