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| SAARC declaration leading light for regional cooperation: Azad | | |
Jammu, Apr 5
Stressing the need for making SAARC declaration of New Delhi as a leading light to address issues and expand orbit of regional cooperation, Chief Minister Mr. Ghulam Nabi Azad today said that India is seen as an emerging global power and Jammu and Kashmir, a proud part of India, is determinedly moving on the path of peace and progress.
Addressing valedictory session of national seminar on strategic challenges and opportunities in J&K and the region at Jammu University, Mr. Azad said that people of Jammu and Kashmir are Himalayas and are well versed to ride over rough patches and outline a future of great hope and promise.
“The horrors of violence are affecting day-to-day life and depriving the people of their basic liberties. This has hampered development. We have to keep pace with fast developing trends on socio-economic fronts ” he said.
“Thousands of widows and orphans in Jammu and Kashmir bear a tragic testimony to the manifestation of acts of terror. The war against terror is no longer within the confines of boundaries of our state or nation. A global network with determined leadership is emerging to end this menace and save mankind”.
He said “we have to fight terror mongers physically, politically, psychologically and I am sure that with the people like you sitting here and others working in fields, in schools, colleges, roads, factories and orchards have the same zeal to turn around the situation”.
Chief Minister said it goes to the credit of the leadership of India and Pakistan for having thought of ending hostilities. “The Indo-Pak joint declaration in January 2004, in which Pakistan committed itself to ending all sorts of terrorism from its territory and the territory under its control, was a big thing to happen in the sub-continent, which until then was viewed as a nuclear flash point. Rest what happened thereafter was that Jammu and Kashmir emerged as a starting point for new initiatives in the Indo-Pak relations. The buses plied on the two sides of the LOC and the trucks are waiting to move. One after another communication links are being opened”, he added.
Referring to October 8, 2005 earthquake, he said collective efforts put in by civil administration, Army and Air Force demonstrated in high resolution that we stand one from Kashmir to Kanyakumari to meet any challenge. Quoting European parliament foreign relations committee’s report authored by Baronness Emma Nicholson, Mr. Azad said report noted that “Jammu and Kashmir has been better able to tackle the challenge and its competence in addressing people’s sufferings has been applauded.
Chief Minister said to eradicate cancer of corruption from the society, appropriate legislations have been enacted to provide teeth to existing laws and apprehend the culprits and punish them in a befitting manner. He said, he has received wide-ranging and whole-hearted support from people in his war against corruption.
“Strategically thinking, this has changed the mindset of the people. They have started gaining faith in the system. This confidence in themselves, and the response has generated a new hope in them, which in itself works as anti-dote to the evil influences of corruption and terrorism. Their delight was doubled with the double-shift system of work. They saw roads and bridges, hospitals coming up at a record time even as the floods and snowfall caused few setbacks. Still, the results were visible on the ground that were in their dreams, but realized only in the recent time”, he maintained.
“When dreams turn into reality, the people shun bad ideas. They love in systematic and disciplined life in which the system delivers to them. The system has started delivering to them. That happens when deeds match words. But that is not the end of road, we have to deliver everything according to our capacity”, he said.
Mr. Azad said in recent times significant successful steps have been taken in terms of maintaining peace and stability at the ground level. Undoubtedly, there has been significant development, which needs to be consolidated and built further, so that peace prevails in every sense of the term.
Mr. Azad said that the region is progressing, discovering commonalties in fighting terrorism, poverty, backwardness, illiteracy and looking at free trade.
Vice Chancellor Jammu University Prof. Amitabh Mattoo said that a galaxy of finest minds deliberated upon various topics during the seminar.
Corps Commander 16 Corps Lt. Gen. T. K. Sapru delivered valedictory address while Mr. Rajiv Sikri gave a resume of the topics taken up during the 2-day seminar. Director Centre for Strategic and Regional Studies of Jammu University Prof. P. Stobdan presented vote of thanks.
A galaxy of academicians, intellectuals, experts and prominent personalities were present on the occasion.
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