Excelsior Correspondent
POONCH, Apr 7: Expressing concern over the continuing disturbances on borders and incidents of violence in Kashmir valley , the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Vice President Mohammad Sartaj Madni today said that situation needed to be diffused in the interest of people, peace and reconciliation in the region.
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Addressing a public gathering here, Madni said that ever since partition, people of Jammu & Kashmir have borne the worst owing to confrontation, wars and militancy.
“It is painful to note that each Government on both sides of the border made promises to reach out through dialogue at various levels. Each Government unleashed moves for understanding after every spell of animosity and fight. Both every time the moves taken and initiatives unfolded were squandered for no reason, he said”.
Madni recalled, how after full blown militancy and losses in Kargil war, India and Pakistan decided to settle for peace, to move forward towards reconciliation. Vajpayee and Musharaf Governments broke the ice, even to agreeing to soft borders and sharing of economic and cultural activity. It was then that people in the region in general and people of Jammu & Kashmir in particular gave their best to broker peace and settle for mutual cooperation , to resolve mutual disputes. Unfortunately, the peace moves did not sustain and confidence building vanished in the din of intransigence from either side”, he added.
PDP Vice President said that people urge for reconciliation and dialogue cannot be marred through any long arm tactics and people of Jammu & Kashmir need to be heard, both by New Delhi and Islamabad. He said this can happen only if both Governments agree to taking serious political moves in the direction of dispute resolution and bring an end to border clashes, besides showing mutual desire to end violence at all levels.
Madni lamented that Narinder Modi’s assurances from ramparts of Red Fort on Independence Day is loosing touch as people of the State are yet to witness a concerted and sustainable initiative on political level which could engage stake holders in serious peace building. He said whatever economic activity undertaken for state’s upliftment, is getting wasted as the younger generation is not involved and poor and backward on borders are faced with everyday trauma and displacement.
Accompanying Ministers Abdul Haq Khan and Ch Zulfikar Ali who spoke on this occasion, recounted the development initiatives taken in last three years which they said donot make impact due to continuing uncertainty at political level. They said that till a political dialogue, it seems that no amount of performance by the government can satisfy people as they are unsettled and dismayed.
MLA Poonch Shah Mohammad Tantrey, Rafiq Hussain Khan Senior Leader, MLA Mohammad Yawar Mir, MLA Aijaz Ahmad, Shameem Dar District President, Syed Iqbal Qazmi Senior Leader, Shamim Ganai , Nadeem Rafiq Khan, Adv Maroof Khan, besides other also spoke to the occasion.
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