Baramulla, May 03 — Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) President, Ms Mehbooba Mufti has said the institution of Government has not proved an impediment but a facilitator for the party to advance its agenda for the peaceful and dignified resolution of the Kashmir issue. She said unlike other political parties, who, in and outside the Government, keep on changing their stance, PDP has, while in Government, fearlessly struck a new route for conflict resolution by laying strong foundations for value-based politics.
Addressing a public meeting at Tangmarg today, Mehbooba said takes pride in the fact that it has more forcefully pushed through its agenda for peaceful and dignified resolution of Kashmir problem while in the Government. She said after being elected to power in October 2002, PDP used the opportunity to implement its political agenda of facilitating peaceful resolution of the Kashmir problem, both on external and internal fronts. She said the party remained on the fore-front of the reconciliatory and resolution process, unlike other mainstream political parties, who speak different languages in and outside the power.
Ms Mufti said the very foundation of PDP is based on the principle that the Kashmir problem should have a dignified solution not only with the endorsement of India and Pakistan but also in accordance with the wishes of the State’s people to make it tenable and sustainable. "Whether in or outside the Government, we have been pursuing this agenda with consistency and determination, and it is because of these very policies that much headway was made towards creating an environment for peaceful resolution of the Kashmir problem between 2002 and 2005," she said adding that consistency on party agenda and ideology has become a trait PDP is now known for.
Mehbooba said the National Conference leaders have been assigned the task of berating the pro-people PDP agenda by their masters in Delhi who do not want this people’s movement to gain ground. “As Delhi has always used the NC to further its agenda in J&K and muzzle the pro-people voices, the same policy is being adopted again to malign the emerging genuine and strong regional force emerging in the shape of PDP,” she said.
The PDP President said the revolutionary measures taken by the PDP-led Government including abolition of toll tax on fruit, elimination of land revenue, setting up of three new universities, adding five new campuses to the existing Kashmir and Jammu universities, opening 40 new degree colleges and upgradation of hundreds of high and middle schools, is a landmark that no government could, possibly, achieve in such a short span of its tenure.
Expressing dismay over the continued silence of the Government on the issue of extending the benefits of the 6th Pay Commission recommendations to the pensioners of the State, Mehbooba said the Government must immediately issue the orders in this regard so that the pensioners are not left out. She said the pensioners deserve a better deal from the Government as after having given their precious years of life in serving the Government most of them have to fend for themselves.
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