‘J&K needs a strong political voice to represent regional aspirations’ :Mufti

 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed has said the fast emergence of PDP as a strong political force across the State, is the people’s endorsement of the party’s agenda and vision on Jammu & Kashmir.

“Having given PDP a substantial mandate in 2008 assembly elections, once again an important decision is to be made by the people of the State to give impetus to the party’s agenda of securing dignified peace and prosperity for Jammu and Kashmir,” Sayeed said while addressing elections rallies at Qazigund and Qaimoh in Anantnag district.on Thuresday. “The momentous political, economic and cross-LoC initiatives that were set off in 2002 by the PDP-led Coalition Government, unfortunately, couldn’t move forward after the change of guard in 2005,” he said and added that a strong and credible political voice from Jammu & Kashmir, with people’s mandate, is needed to represent the State’s aspirations at the highest forum in the country and carry forward the reconciliation and resolution process initiated in 2002. 

Reiterating his party’s resolve to rededicate itself to the peaceful resolution of the Kashmir problem through civilized and internationally acknowledged democratic means, the PDP Patron said given its strategic location, Jammu & Kashmir has a pivotal role in anchoring political stability and economic prosperity in the region for which resolution of the problem is a fundamental requirement. “To make the resolution process sustainable, it has to, simultaneously, address both the external and internal complexities of the issue as outlined in PDP’s Self-Rule document,” he said and added that the reiteration of renewed faith by the State’s people in democratic and peaceful means for the resolution of the problem has opened a new window of opportunity for amicable and permanent settlement of the Kashmir issue and it was now for India and Pakistan on how they respond to the new situation.

Reaffirming that cooperation and not confrontation is the key to the new challenges emerging in the region, Sayeed said continuation of the peace process set off on 18th April 2003 by the then Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and carried on by his successor Dr Manmohan Singh was a historical necessity and neither country could afford to go back on it, nor would Kashmir issue disappear by whatever else happens around it.

Calling upon the leadership of the country and that of Pakistan to take note of the sentiment of peace emanating from Jammu & Kashmir, Sayeed said both the countries must accord this sentiment the respect it deserves and address the issues concerning the State with a sense of urgency, sincerity and seriousness. “I hope with the culmination of the Lok Sabha polls, there would be much-awaited headway on the peace process as it has become a historical necessity,” he said.

Mufti said the current crisis on economic, financial and infrastructure fronts confronting the State can’t be met with small-time responses of the Government. He said patchworks can’t improve the quality of life of the State’s people and the larger issue of exploitation of State’s water and land resources has to be addressed to take care of the State’s development needs in the 21st century.

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