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| Sayeed optimistic about consolidation of peace efforts | | 'J&K has become hostage of Indo-Pak security syndrome' | | Early Times Reporter
Mendhar | Apr 10
Expressing hope that the proposed upcoming visits of the Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh and External Affairs Minister Parnab Mukerjee to Pakistan, would reinforce the resolve of the two democratic governments to carry forward the sagging peace process, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed asserted that the people as a whole are yearning for peace.
"Not only the people of Jammu and Kashmir but the whole sub-continent are yearning for sustainable peace and progress and ‘I hope the political leadership of the two countries would address the issues in good faith and with sincerity of purpose to realize the dream of a peaceful, prosperous and progressive South Asia,’ Sayeed said at an impressive public meeting here today. He said the peace process has become a necessity for the two countries and there is a reciprocal acceptance of its legitimacy at the people's level. "While various CBMs have been initiated to make the peace process substantive, much more has to be done to realize the true potential of the confidence building process," he said and added that this could be achieved by exploring new avenues of cross-border cooperation in the fields of trade, commerce, communication, travel and tourism, especially through Jammu and Kashmir.
While the people of Jammu and Kashmir would welcome enhanced trade between the two countries, he said the simultaneous progress on Kashmir would accelerate the normalization process to the great advantage of the two countries. He said the leadership of India and Pakistan shall have to demonstrate strong political will to free the people of Jammu and Kashmir from the shackles of the security syndrome that bedevils both the countries. "What is needed at this juncture is the creation of conditions for facilitating the two sides of Kashmir to link up in as many areas as possible, so that there is not only a free flow of goods but of ideas and culture as well," he said.
PDP Patron said the CBMs have contributed towards improving the quality of lives on both sides of the divide and the cease-fire on the line of control has made life easier for those living close to the border. "The exchange of visits by the leaders and civil society members have also helped to relax the tension and these measures need to be carried forward and strengthened to impact the ground situation," he said and added that while the whole State would benefit from cross-LoC exchange of goods, the areas like Poonch and Rajouri would have added advantage or being closer to the LoC.
On the domestic front, Sayeed said the Government of India should implement the recommendations of the Working Groups without any further delay to address the political, economic and social concerns of the people in all the regions and sub-regions of the State. He said besides rehabilitation of all the victims of violence, the Government must also rehabilitate and retrench all those boys, who have shunned the path of violence, in the normal vocations of life so that they do not face any social or economic problems. He said the boys, who had gone across for arms training and are now willing to return and live normal lives, should be facilitated to cross-over to join their families.
Welcoming the recent visit of the Pakistani pilgrims to Mata Vaishnavdevi, Sayeed said similar facility should be extended to the pilgrims from across the border intending to visit Shahdra Sharief and other shrines in the State. "Similarly, the pilgrims from Jammu & Kashmir should be allowed to visit the shrines across the border," he said.
Around 30 prominent political and social activists from the area joined the PDP on this occasion.
PDP leaders Rafiq Hussain Khan, Murtaza Khan, Abdul Hamid Manhas, Nissar Ahmad Khan, Master Tassaduq Hussain and Mohammad Sharief Tariq also addressed the meeting. |
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