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| India has always taken bold initiatives for strengthening peace: Azad | | ‘Trans LoC trade taking shape’ | | SRINAGAR, SEPTEMBER 08 – The Australian High Commissioner in India Mr. John McCarthy called on Chief Minister Mr. Ghulam Nabi Azad here on Thursday.
The Chief Minister while interacting with him said that India has always taken bold initiatives for strengthening peace and developing cordial relations with all its neighbours including Pakistan. He said it is in the interest of both India and Pakistan to live in the atmosphere of peace. He informed the envoy that various steps have been taken for opening of the roads including Srinagar-Muzaffarabad and Poonch-Rawalakot roads in order to ensure people to people contact. He also said that Srinagar-Muzaffarabad route is being converted as free trade route and the representatives of trade, commerce and industries are meeting to chalk out the trade programmes for conducting trade of identified items between two sides. He hoped that with the start of this trade, Jammu and Kashmir will be poised towards prosperity and affluency. It will be able to make up the colossal economic losses, which it has suffered during last 17 years, he added.
The Chief Minister informed the high commissioner about Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh’s personal interest for involving all representatives of the people and other separate groups in dialogue process. He said after successful Round Table Conference in New Delhi, the second Round Table Conference was held in Srinagar where historical announcement of 5 working groups was made by Prime Minister to look into various aspects of people’s problems and evolve strategies for their solution.
Mr. Azad also informed the high commissioner that Jammu and Kashmir state particularly Kashmir valley has miserably suffered during last two decades and lakhs of the families whose livelihood depends on tourism have faced hardships. He said steps are being taken to create rich infrastructure in the state so that damage caused to this infrastructure is replaced. He said the Jammu and Kashmir State has track record indicating large number of tourists visiting from Australia to the state particularly Kashmir valley and added that however during last 2 decades the number has come down which he hoped will again increase. He said that a right message is required to be conveyed to the people of Australia about the state so that tourists visit in large number.
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