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| 'Declare Kashmir a special educational zone' | | J&K needs security through development: Sayeed | |
Srinagar, May 13
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Patron, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed has said what Jammu & Kashmir now essentially needs, is, security through development and not through arms. "The positive change in the State's ground situation demands that the security of the people must now move to the centre-stage with more emphasis on economic development, income security, job security and security of both individuals and communities," he said.
Addressing a public meeting at Hazratbal in Srinagar today, Sayeed said ‘we have to conscientiously carry along the people in our effort at consolidating the peace and reconciliation process.’ "The basic concept of the State's security has to be linked more with human security and dignity to completely end the atmosphere of antipathy with trust," he said and added that greater trust in the people of the State is inevitable for the protection of its interests. He said the ultimate arbitrators of the State's interests are its people and they must share the political and economic rights and privileges a democratic set up guarantees them.
While the process for the ultimate resolution of Jammu & Kashmir's political problems is on both at the external and internal fronts, the Union and the State Government must, meanwhile, address the immediate and day-to-day developmental concerns of the people to pull them out of the sense of neglect, he added. "A motivated plan of action has to be put into place for the infrastructural and economic development of the State, with the political and civil society institutions being the main drivers of this plan," he said.
The PDP patron called for declaring Jammu & Kashmir, not only a Special Economic Zone, but a Special Education and Information Technology Zone as well, where, not only the Indian, but also the foreign educational and IT institutions could come and set up their branches. He said given its environment and weather conditions, Jammu & Kashmir is an ideal location for educational and IT enterprise. Such an initiative, he said besides promoting the local human resource, would also boost the State's economy and free its people from the mentality of siege.
Referring to the developmental needs of the Srinagar city, Sayeed said while upgradation of the road communication network should be the priority of the Government, equally important are the other basic amenities like drinking water, power supply, drainage and sewerage system. He said the construction of flyovers and bridges and widening of important roads in the city should be speeded up to save Srinagar from being choked with massive traffic jams. He stressed the need for accelerating the pace of work on the conservation and beautification of the river Jhelum and its banks, which seems to have come to a halt despite adequate funds available for the purpose.
Sayeed also called for immediate conservation of the Srinagar's water bodies including the Dal, Nageen and Anchar Lakes with suitable rehabilitation of the dwellers living in and around these world famous lakes. He said being the face of the Kashmir valley, Srinagar city has to be furnished with adequate and quality tourism infrastructure to attract high-spending tourists to the Valley. He said with the upgradation of the Srinagar airport as the International Airport, there would be huge influx of tourists to the valley in future and for that measures have to be taken well in advance for the creation of the necessary infrastructure.
Speaking on the occasion, Senior PDP leader and Minister for Finance & Planning, Tariq Hameed Karra said the political change sweeping the State has now touched the frontiers on Srinagar city as well and Batamalloo has become the stepping stone of this change. He said the people of the city have realized that by remaining away from the electoral processes, they are doing no good to themselves and will get their due only through active participation in the political activity. He said they are finding a new ‘avatar’ in PDP that has not only given a voice to their political but the developmental concerns as well. He said the massive scale of development that was initiated in the city after 2002 elections is being acknowledged by the people across the board and they have realized that PDP only could do justice with the State.
Senior PDP leaders Moulvi Iftikhar Hussain Ansari, Ghulam Qadir Pardesi, Nazir Ahmad Bakshi, Sheikh Abdul Rehman and Ms Aasiya also addressed the meeting.
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