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| | | Self Rule –Mufti’s poll eve gift to PM
EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, Nov 5: In the election season as political parties do autopsy of the Peoples Democratic Party’s political programme by dubbing it secessionist in tendencies, its patron and former Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed today handed over the document to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for ‘study’.
Mufti, who met the Prime Minister in New Delhi this evening, also called for release of the various separatist leaders detained under different laws including the Public Safety Act for their anti-poll activities.
According to a party communiqué
The PDP Patron, in his hour-long meeting with the Prime Minister here this evening, explained to him the broader contours of the PDP's Self-Rule proposal and its expediency in addressing, both the internal and external dimensions, of the Kashmir issue.
Acknowledging that the opening of Srinagar-Muzafarabad and Poonch-Rawalakote roads for trade is a significant J&K-specific confidence building measure taken by the two countries, Sayeed, however, stressed the need for making the cross-LoC movement of people and goods more meaningful and hassle-free. He said the fresh momentum gained by the peace process through the latest initiatives must be pushed ahead and consolidated by extending similar facility on other traditional routes including Suchetgarh-Sialkote, Kargil-Skardu, Bandipora-Gurez-Gilgit, Jhanjar-Mirpur and Leh-Mansarover gateways.
Sayeed said the cross-LoC movement of people should not be now restricted to the divided families only and it should facilitate economic, cultural and social exchange between the two parts of the State on a larger scale. "To begin with, academicians, students, cultural groups, civil society activists, tourists, journalists and traders should be allowed to move between the two parts of the State without any restrictions," he said and added that after having initiated the process of pulling down the physical barriers in J&K, it is imperative that exchange of ideas should now take place on a wider scale to eliminate the psychological barriers between the people of the two parts of the State.
Expressing dismay over the recent detention of several political activists in the State under various laws, Sayeed told the Prime Minister that such strong-arm policy would only vitiate the already charged atmosphere in the State. "Democracy is a battle of ideas and every section of the society should be free to express his views in a free and fair manner," he said and added that any contrary impression could prove counterproductive, especially when the electoral process is on. |
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