Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Oct 28: People’s Democratic Party (PDP) patron and former Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed today said the decade long truce along the Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB) is crashing because of failure to build on the ceasefire agreement of 2003 between India and Pakistan.
Mufti said the rising tension along the LoC and IB with Pakistan is cause of serious concern for entire State and the intensity and frequency of ceasefire violations would suggest the decade long truce is all but crashing.
Addressing media persons at his Gupkar residence, the former Chief Minister said that people living along the frontier have already borne much brunt of the renewed acts of hostility.
“There have been reports of migration, injuries and deaths as a result of firing and shelling. The human cost of border violence is rising alarmingly. We express our deep sorrow at the killings and share the grief and pain of the families of the victims,” said PDP Patron.
Expressing his resentment after the meeting between Manmohan Singh-Nawaz Sharief in New York failed to revive the peace process which “lay in virtual tatters”, Mufti said people of the State had great hopes on the two leaders to restore normalcy on borders.
Lashing out at the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah for “indulging in war rhetoric against Pakistan”, Mufti said Omar broke the consensus on peaceful means at a time when shells and bullets were taking their toll on both sides of the divide.
Mufti said the ongoing ceasefire violations along the border are apart from the Kashmir conflict. “In my opinion the border firing has nothing to do with the conflict around Kashmir because both countries realize that use of force cannot bring any change in its status. The issue has to be addressed politically and the two countries have to respect the yearning for peace in J&K”, he added.
Replying to a question about formation of a possible alliance with National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led by Bharatiya Janata Party, the PDP patron said: “It is not a question of alliance. At this time we don’t have any option. We don’t know our position (how much we are in water). There is no alliance yet. We are with no one. But our coalition with Congress in 2002 during NDA rule was a golden period.”
Asked how he saw the BJP under Narendra Modi, the Mufti said he had no experience (of working) with Modi, but he has the experience with (Atal Bihari) Vajpayee.
The PDP patron also announced that the party has decided to take out a “peace march” on November 4 in Srinagar to convey to our national leadership the concern for the deterioration in security environment and the need to mend it through peaceful means.
“The message has to go across to Pakistani leadership as well to spare the state and the region any fresh adventures. The concerns of the people of Jammu & Kashmir as the frontline state must be respected and ceasefire restored,” the Mufti said.
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