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| J&K at threshold of lasting peace, enduring prosperity: Sayeed | | PDP welcomes UPA Govt's pledge to focus on confidence building process | | Early Times Reporter
Jammu | Feb 26
Welcoming the UPA Government's assertion of working for peace and development in Jammu & Kashmir by focusing on confidence building measures and meeting the aspirations of the State's people, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed has said the initiatives taken at various levels, during the past five years, have laid a strong foundation of mutual trust and confidence to build upon for the ultimate resolution of the problem.
"The emerging situation necessitates a set of substantive political and economic measures, on the internal and bilateral fronts, to consolidate the situation to the extent that holds a promise for enduring peace and prosperity in the State and the region," Sayeed said in a statement here today. He said, it has been the consistent view of the PDP, that the problems confronting the State and its people could be resolved only through tangible reconciliatory and confidence building measures on the internal and bilateral fronts. "The fast-changing equations in our neighboring country will also have a definite positive impact on the State's situation and there is a need to build on this developing momentum," he said.
The PDP Patron emphasized that besides ensuring equitable political and economic empowerment of the people in all the regions and sub-regions of the State, Government of India must seize the moment and initiate people-oriented confidence building process that goes in tune with the fast-improving security situation. He said the emerging positive situation now unquestionably demands initiation of measures like revocation of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) and thinning of the troop strength deployed on internal security in the State. "Even one of the Working Groups constituted by the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh has recommended commencement of such measures," he said and added that such actions have now become unavoidable to ensure a substantive turn-around in the situation by reposing greater trust in the people of the State.
Sayeed said with the stabilization of the political situation in Pakistan, there must be now positive movement forward on much-awaited issue of easing restrictions on cross-LoC movement of people and goods through Jammu & Kashmir, as has also been enumerated by the President Partibha Patil in her speech to the joint sitting of the Parliament yesterday. "At the same time we shall have to move ahead on other confidence building measures including rehabilitation of the dependents of all the victims of violence, facilitating safe return of the boys who had gone across for the arms training and want to return and live peacefully and rehabilitation of Kashmiri migrant Pandits," he said.
Expressing dismay over the antagonistic noises of certain quarters regarding the rehabilitation of the families of the militants killed during the turmoil, Sayeed said while the previous NDA Government had even approved a policy for the rehabilitation of the militants who shunned the path of violence by offering them cash incentives, why should not the families of the deceased militants living in pathetic conditions be supported by the Government to atleast impart good education to their children and earn for their bread and butter. "We can't punish the children for the wrong-doings of their militant fathers," he said.
Sayeed said PDP has time and again made it clear that the State and the Central Government have to take certain concrete reconciliatory measures to help the people of Jammu & Kashmir come out of the vicious circle of violence, with their honor and dignity intact. "Men, women and children, irrespective of age, status or political affiliation have been traumatized over the last decade and a half and they need to be supported to live dignified lives," he said.
The PDP Patron said the political leadership of the State and the country must pioneer the fresh bold initiatives with courage and wisdom to put the much-needed momentum in the normalization process. He said the people in the State have developed a taste for and confidence in the political and democratic process and this change could be consolidated only through some courageous initiatives that would further impact the situation positively. He said PDP's agenda is to ensure a future for Jammu & Kashmir which is free of discord and its people benefit from the growing commerce, trade and tourism in the region. "This necessarily presupposes and mandates a cooperative relationship between our country and Pakistan, which appears to be even more promising in the emerging scenario," he said. |
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