CBMs necessary before elections in J&K: Vakil

Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, May 15: Senior vice president of J&K Peoples Conference and former minister Abdul Gani Vakil urged the Prime Minister Narendra Modi led Union Government to take necessary CBM’s before holding assembly elections in J&K.
Addressing workers convention in Eidgah constituency today Vakil said the Government of India should implement Confidence Building Measures (CBM’s), if they want larger participation including restoration of statehood to J&K. He said if Central Government wants good participation in elections, it should grant statehood without making it conditional, releasing political prisoners and there should be special employment package for unemployed youth of the region at the same time government must regularise thousands of daily wagers who are serving day and night to make government departments functional at ground level.
Vakil said apart from these CBMs, the fruit and tourism industry should be rejuvenated as thousands of families are directly or indirectly associated with these industries. “Government should take special measures  to boost fruit and tourism industry as the fruit growers and hoteliers are worst affected due to lockdowns, weather vagaries and fluid political situation of J&K.  Waiving of KCC loans and other business loans, will help a lot in winning the hearts of the people especially fruit growers,” Vakil added.
He further said the lofty claims of Naya Kashmir were made by the Central Government but things have remained unchanged on the ground. Petrol,  diesel and gas  prices are touching the skies and government is doing nothing to give respite to the common people from this inflation.
JKPC Youth president Sheikh Mohammed Imran described youth empowerment as an important aspect of every democratic process and the main agenda and vision of our party is youth and their welfare. He said that party president Sajad Gani Lone is fully aware of the problems of the youth of the state as they have been mostly exploited by previous regimes for mere party political gains.
Prominent among others who addressed the convention include Irfan Matoo and Mohammad Sulaiman Bhat.