Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, May 4: Appealing the voters of Baramulla Parliamentary constituency to vote for him on May 7 senior People’s Democratic Party (PDP) leader and former Deputy Chief Minister, Muzzafar Hussain Baig has said while he would make an honest effort to bring Kashmir debate to the national scene in-and-outside the Parliament he would specially focus on development needs of Baramulla, Kupwara and Bandipora districts.
Addressing various wayside meetings in Rafiabad segment of Baramulla parliamentary constituency, Mr Baig said the PDP is going to the Parliament with a clear agenda to push for a peaceful settlement of Jammu and Kashmir unlike the National Conference which has always used the people’s mandate to seek power for the members of Abdullah family. “The aim of the PDP is to give voice to the aspirations, sentiments of people of Kashmir at the national level by involving all shades of political and social opinion so that we could realize the lasting peace in the region,” he said.
Baig said the PDP will make every effort to forcefully pursue its agenda of political resolution and for that matter it will involve the Parliament, which, unfortunately, till now has now has been missing as the NC would always prefer power instead of working seriously to address the problems which J&K is facing. “The NC didn’t act seriously to help bridge gaps between Kashmir and New Delhi, but instead it made power its only choice and kept the country in darkness about the aspirations of the people of Kashmir,” he added.
Baig said he will specially focus on the development needs of Baramulla, Kupwara and Bandipora districts which have lagged behind in economic progress. He said the far flung areas and weaker sections will receive his primary attention and he would use all his influence as Member of Parliament to open up areas like Gurez and Tangdhar so that round the year traffic is possible in these areas. He said he will strive for tunnels across the Razdan and Sadna passes to ensure all weather traffic to Gurez and Karnah.
Reiterating resolve of his party to open all traditional routes connection Jammu and Kashmir with rest of the world Baig said it is the vision of the PDP to make Kashmir a free economic zone in the region. He said opening of all traditional routes through Kashmir, Jammu and Ladakh would help the state in harnessing its inherent potential as a business centre as it was before 1947.
He said the PDP will push for the expansion of cross-Line of Control (LoC) trade and travel which will not only help to create a conducive atmosphere on the ground that will bring Baramulla back on the trade and commerce map. “To make the historic 2005 initiatives more meaningful it is necessary to remove the hassles in the movement of goods and passengers,” he added.
Former Minister Dillawar Mir also addressed the gathering.
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