‘Dialogue only way out’
Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, Jan 7: Former Chief Minister and People’s Democratic Party president, Mehbooba Mufti, today said that voices of people can’t be suppressed through power, stating that dialogue is the only way to resolve Kashmir issue.
Mehbooba after paying tributes to his father, late Mufti Mohammed Sayeed at Dara Shikoh Park, Bijbehara in Anantnag district on his fifth death anniversary, said that his father was a visionary leader who always put emphasis on peace and dialogue.
“He took several confidence-building steps to bring J&K out of this bloodshed and he always wanted that J&K should act as bridge between India and Pakistan,” she said, adding he believed that every issue can be resolved through dialogue and dialogue is the only way to bring peace here.
The PDP president said that if Government of India wants peace here then they have to adopt the vision of Mufti Mohammed Sayeed. “Mufti sahab has always put emphasis on India to hold dialogue with all stakeholders of J&K and have friendly relations with all neighboring countries including Pakistan”, she said.
Mehbooba said that J&K sided with India despite being a Muslim dominant State, however, the illegal decision of scrapping of special status of J&K on August 5 last year further alienated the people here.
“Dialogue is the only way to resolve Kashmir issue,” she said, adding that even USA is withdrawing troops from Afghanistan now and holding dialogue with Taliban to resolve issues.
The PDP president said that through power “you can never win hearts and minds of people and you can cage people but you can’t cage their thoughts.”
Mehbooba along with top party leadership visited Bijbehara and paid floral tributes at the mausoleum of late Mufti Mohammad Sayeed at Dara Shikoh Park and offered Fateh.
Multiple functions were held across Jammu and Kashmir on Mufti Sayeed’s death anniversary, the largest of which was held at party headquarters at Srinagar and was presided over by party vice president A R Veeri with top leadership in attendance.
The party leaders recalled the late leader’s contribution in changing the political discourse in Jammu and Kashmir and putting it back on the track of peace, dignity, development and prosperity.
Expressing her gratitude, Mehbooba Mufti thanked the party cadre for participating in various remembrance events across J&K despite harsh weather.
On the occasion, party leadership reiterated its resolve to further the guiding principles as envisaged by late Mufti as the only solution to the current Imbroglio. They resolved to work tirelessly to make Jammu and Kashmir a bridge of peace in South Asia.
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