*Welcomes West’s rapprochement with Iran
Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Jan 18: Wel-coming the rapprochement between Iran and the West, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) President and Member Parliament, Mehbooba Mufti today said Tehran’s historic nuclear deal with the world powers has made it clear that there is no alternative to the process of engagement and reconciliation.
“Fortunately the latest understanding between the world powers and Iran coincides with renewed engagement between New Delhi and Islamabad, and we hope that the rejuvenated reconciliation process would give a new direction to the efforts aimed at ensuring peace and stability in the region,” Ms Mehbooba said in a statement.
She expressed the hope that the new and hopeful geo-political scenario emerging in the region would expand the ambit of economic and trade cooperation between India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran and allow these countries to exploit the wide array of opportunities available for boosting economic growth.
She said for the people of Jammu and Kashmir peace and stability in the region is of utmost importance as they have been the worst sufferers of the hostility. “Our enterprising young boys and girls have been deprived of the massive benefits of globalization and economic liberalization that swept the world during the past two decades when our state was embroiled in a bleeding conflict,” she said and added that the latest reconciliatory process has generated a new hope for peace and stability in the region which, if sustained, could throw up new economic opportunities for our people.
Mehbooba said Jammu and Kashmir has a special relationship with Iran because of the great saint Amir Kabir Mir Sayed Ali Hamdani (RA) commonly known as Shah-e-Hamadan (RA) who travelled from Hamadan in Iran to Kashmir to not only spread Islam but also brought with him the unique craftsmanship for which Kashmir is known world-over.
She said it has been the consistent opinion of PDP that security and stability in Jammu & Kashmir is possible only in a space provided by amity, friendship and cooperative relationship between India and Pakistan.
“PDP’s vision of a peaceful, stable and prosperous Jammu & Kashmir outlined in its Self-Rule document is essentially about neutralizing the historical political and economic excesses with the State that were compounded by its natural and political geography,” she said and added reviving J&K’s traditional connectivity with outside world could pave the way for economic and social integration of the region through a common economic market.
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