Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Dec 29: Centre for Peace and Progress (CPP) organized a seminar on ‘Jammu and Kashmir – The Road Ahead’, here at the Gujjar Charitable Trust where members of civil society, social and political field from the parts of J&K Union Territory participated.
Chairman of the CPP, OP Shah, chaired the programme. The speakers demanded that dialogue between India and Pakistan must start without any further delay and border tension must stop. The speakers also resolved to end escalation of tension on border between the two countries and also expressed concern over scrapping of special status of Jammu and Kashmir without consultation of the people.
They expressed concern over the situation in the erstwhile State which is passing though the situation after August 5, especially Kashmir. They demanded the dissent voices must be heard and political leadership and separatists must be released from the custody so that confidence among the people can be restored with the start of dialogue process in Kashmir.
The participants admitted that Jammu and Kashmir is a dispute and it should be resolved by keeping politics aside. The speakers also demanded ‘statehood with all rights under specials status’ for J&K. They said that the identity, culture, jobs and land must be saved for the inhabitants of J&K.
Former MP Sheikh Abdul Rehman said that India and Pakistan used Kashmir as a tool to divert attention of their respective citizens in their countries. They should stop playing politics on Kashmir. Conflict between two nations will lead to the destruction of Jammu and Kashmir as it is at flash point.
Speaking on the occasion, Shah said, “Restoration of democratic process in J&K is need of the hour quoting that violation of constitution is the serious concern of the speakers in the conference.”
“This country can survive only as a secular democracy which is core of Indian ethos,” he said and mentioned that Supreme Court should consider the issues pending before it to restore faith of people on the judiciary.
Shah said, “People are suffering because of trust deficit and we need to work hard to create climate of trust among the people in J&K.”
Senior advocate Jameel Qazmi, social activists ID Khajuria and others also spoke on the occasion.
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