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| Cross-border road link; Farooq calls for easing travel restrictions | | | Early Times Reporter
Poonch | Dec 10: Former chief minister and patron J&K National Conference Dr Farooq Abdullah today called upon both Indian and Pakistan to ease restrictions on travel between Srinagar-Muzaffarabad and Poonch-Rawlakote so as to provide relief to thousands of divided families on both sides of border.
Addressing a largely attended public meeting, in support of party candidate for Poonch-Haveli bye-elections, here today, Dr Abdullah observed that much hyped opening of road links between India and Pakistan has been rendered meaningless owing to the complicated system and travel formalities.
"Unprecedented hype was created while opening the road links and people were made to believe that they will have an easy excess to their relations on the other side of border", he said adding, "However, after a lapse of more than two years, the promises and claims have fallen flat and people have started realizing that the move was nothing more than a cruel joke with the common masses of the state".
If the latest statistics, he said, is any indication to this direction the use of the road links has been limited to fewer than 400 persons on each side of the Line of Control. "This speaks volume about the restrictions and strict formalities which the cross-border travel aspirants have been burdened with", he added.
Recalling the pledge by Prime Minister of India in May 2006 that an atmosphere of freer trade and freer movement with soft borders will be created, the NC patron said that despite the fanfare associated with the bus travel, people feel the formalities to undertake the travel are very tedious.
"I urge both India and Pakistan to ease travel restrictions and formalities so that the people can be benefited at large", he said adding that the people of both countries should come closer to understand each other so that atmosphere of peace, goodwill and confidence could be created.
Dr Abdullah further cautioned people about the political parties playing regional and religious card. "They have no programme and policy to highlight and now they have resorted to deceitful means and were dividing people on religion and cast basis for their own petty gains".
Referring to the tall claims of some political parties, Dr Abdullah recalled that his government had recommended Schedule Tribe Area status for Rajouri and Poonch on the pattern of Ladakh but the recommendations were turned down by the then Congress government in the center.
"Let them explain that why those recommendations were turned down", he said adding, "Today they claim to champion your cause but the record is testimony of their political misdeeds".
Those who accompanied Dr. Farooq Abdullah included- Ajay Sadhotra, Rattan Lal Gupta, Mushtaq Ahmed Bukhari, Kr. Rachpal Singh, Javed Rana, Sajjad Ahmed Kichloo, Mohd Aslam Khan, Abdul Gani Malik, Ch. Bashir Ahmed Naz, T.S. Wazir, MR Qureshi, Advocate, Mirza Abdul Rashid, S. Harbans Singh, Qazi Mohd Syed Beig, Mohd Aslam Goni, Chander Mohan Sharma, Shahnaz Ganai , Surinder Singh Bunty, Mohinder Pyasa, Khem Raj Dutta, M.S Talwar, and others. |
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