Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, May 12: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today called for an end to the gun culture and asked people to defy the diktats of the separatists for poll boycott as people of Pakistan did by defying the diktats of Taliban.
While addressing a public rally at Trikolbal Pattan in North Kashmir after laying foundation of a bridge in highly militancy infested area under tight security, the Chief Minister said: “Guns can’t be described as good or bad guns; guns are always responsible for bleedings and killings. Let gun-culture end once for all. Let peace prevails. Let issues are resolved amicably across the table.”
Omar said: “We have seen how much damage guns have caused to Pakistan. The people in Pakistan have undergone an unfortunate phase of killings and sufferings due to gun in similar way as the people of Jammu and Kashmir experienced during a long period of militancy for over 22 years.”
He said that Kashmiris should ignore poll boycott calls by separatists as voters in Pakistan defied the Taliban diktats by turning out in large number to vote.
“Good reason for Kashmiris to ignore boycott calls,” Omar wrote on Twitter.
While referring to the statement of Pakistan Chief Election Commissioner Fakhruddin G Ebrahim, who after casting his vote yesterday said, “When good people do not vote, bad people benefit.”
“Given the bloody election Pakistan has seen I hope they now realise that there can be no good terrorists & bad terrorists, all terror is bad,” Omar said in his tweet.
The Chief Minister said that his Government has worked a lot to facilitate peace and tranquillity between India and Pakistan and would continue to work in this direction. He said without peace impact of development gets eclipsed. He said whatever goals we achieve on development front their benefits remain dormant if peace and tranquillity is not in place.
While congratulating former Pakistan Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharief for his election victory, Omar reminded Sharif of the initiative he took during his last tenure as PM of Pakistan to restore friendship with India and resolve Kashmir issue through peaceful means. He urged Sharif to move ahead once again on this important issue by picking up the threads from where these had been dropped.
The Chief Minister said that today is an important day for people of Jammu and Kashmir as the elections were held in Pakistan and Mian Nawaz Sharief is emerging as victorious.
“I from this stage at Trikulbal Pattan, congratulate Mian Sahib on behalf of people of Jammu and Kashmir, my government and myself and hope that he would carry forward the process of restoring peace and friendship with India and work for resolving Kashmir issue”, Omar said.
Chief Minister appealed to the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh to extend hand of friendship to Sharief for resolving all outstanding issues including those pertaining to Jammu and Kashmir in the same way as former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee extended friendship to the then Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf.
“Unless friendship and peace is restored between the two countries the basic political issues cannot be solved amicably. The friendship between the two countries is in the larger interest of people of Jammu and Kashmir and the sub-continent”, said Omar.
While speaking on his governance, the Chief Minister said that he believes in actions rather than making slogans. “My government’s performance is before the people. Our work done on ground is our strength. People will judge us on this scale.”
Omar said he would move ahead on achieving the twin goals of peace and development in the State with commitment, determination and sincerity. “I need not publicize or talk loudly on the achievements and performance of my government. I will go on fulfilling my commitment made to people during 2008 Assembly Elections quietly till 2014 and then request public to judge us on our performance”, he said.
The Chief Minister earlier laid foundation of Rs 2.54 crore bridge over Sukhnag Nallah in Trikulbal and fixed one year time frame for its completion. He announced two water supply schemes of Rs 2.35 crore Gund Khawaja Qasim WSS and Rs 80 lakh Hajeewera WSS to augment drinking water facilities in the area. He also announced upgradation of Trikulbal High School to Higher Secondary School and a playground for youth in the area. He said up-gradation of Gund Khawaya Qasim would be examine and considered positively.
The public meeting was also addressed by Minister for Higher Education, Mohammad Akbar Lone, MLA, Provincial President NC, Kashmir, Nasir Aslam Wani, former Minister Abdul Rashid Shaheen and legislator Javid Ahmad Dar.
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