Excelsior Correspondent
KUPWARA, July 6: Observing that Nawaz Sharif’s coming to power will script a new chapter of peace and normalcy in Indo-Pak relations, patron of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Mufti Mohammad Sayeed today said that strengthening of democracy in Pakistan is a positive development which would help in accelerating the process of reconciliation to solve all bilateral issues to establish lasting peace in this region.
In an obvious reference towards Nawaz Sharif’s special envoy meeting with Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh on Friday, in which the special envoy had conveyed Islamabad’s “sincere desire” to move forward on improving relations with India, Mufti emphasised that Kashmir should be the focus of dialogue between two countries because people of Jammu and Kashmir are in the direct line of fire due to the hostility between the two neighbourers.
Addressing an impressive public meeting here today, Mufti said, “Apart from discussing other bilateral issues, the Kashmir should be the priority and this issue should be discussed through humanitarian angle as residents of this region have been bearing maximum brunt of the enmity between two countries”. He added that solution of Kashmir problem is must for restoring lasting peace in this region.
“Instead of sticking to the hollow slogans, both the countries should have to adopt to holistic and purposeful policy to resolve all issues especially the Kashmir”, he said and hoped that this process of peace should be further accelerated because hostility between two neighbourers was neither in the interest of the two sides.
Stressing the need of carrying forward and expand the process of cross-LoC cooperation and trade in J&K, Mufti said that cross-LoC confidence building measures would help in creating a new space for reconciliation in the region. “Indo-Pak cooperation is the key to resolving the region’s problems and Kashmir would have a pivotal role in cementing those relations,” he said.
He said Kashmir can act as bridge and cement relations between India and Pakistan. “J&K should be first to reap benefits of the reconciliation between the two for everlasting relationship”, he observed.
He reiterated his demand for providing requisite facilities to ensure hassle-free cross-LoC trade and travel, and hoped that some concrete steps would be taken in this regard by both the countries.
Mufti stressed the need for credible banking facilities and proper communication system to harness the full potential of the trans-LoC trade.
Hoping that Governments of both the countries would take peace process to its logical conclusion, Mufti said political leadership in the State has to play very crucial rule in the days to come.
Speaking on the occasion former Deputy Chief Minister and senior leader of PDP Muzaffar Hussain Beigh said that credibility of the present State Government has reached to its lowest ebb because every section of the society is bearing brunt of the misdeeds of this regime.
Mr Beigh regretted that since formation of this regime woes of common people have been compounding with every passing day. “Except promises nothing has been done by this Government”, he said and exhorted the people to thrown out this worst ever Government in the coming elections.
Ghulam Mohi-ud-Din Sofi, former Minister, Abdul Haq Khan, MLA, Mohammad Ashraf Mir, MLC, Peer Abdul Gani, Fayaz Ahmed Mir, Mohammad Shafi Dar, Mehraj-ud-Din Shah and Gh. Nabi Panditpuri and others also spoke on the occasion.
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