Excelsior Correspondent
—Excelsior/Amin War
JAMMU, May 2: Alleging that the killing of an innocent youth in security force firing in Nawakadal is a grim reminder of the tragedies and miseries Kashmir is undergoing for the past more than two decades, People’s Democratic Party (PDP) said all means have to be used to end this trial of death and destruction for the sake of the future generations of this State.
PDP patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed today said PDP is not contesting Parliamentary polls for making alliances for power, but for securing and safeguarding the State’s interests. `’Our sole objective is to seek, at a bigger platform, the resolution of critical political and economic problems confronting J&K,” he said.
Addressing election rallies in Handwara and Tangmarg Assembly segments of Baramulla Parliamentary constituency, Mr Sayeed said PDP’s goal is to ensure inclusive political and economic empowerment of the people of the State in a positively evolving Indo-Pak arrangement.
Mr Sayeed alleged that most of the problems the State is facing today are because of NC’s lust for power as the party has always used people’s mandate to seek employment for its leaders. ‘Using the people’s mandate to seek power instead of working to uphold the aspirations and sentiments of Kashmiris, NC leadership has served a big blow not just to its own credibility, but to the people’s faith as well,’ he added.
The Mufti said having miserably failed on the governance front, NC leaders, in their ongoing poll campaign, instead of talking about the real issues confronting J&K and its people, are harping on some obscure and extraneous matters. ‘That’s why people in south and central Kashmir have already rejected this party, and it’s now for the voters of north Kashmir to take the ongoing movement for change to its logical conclusion,’ he said.
The PDP patron said if PDP is today leading the political movement for change in Jammu and Kashmir, it is because of the fact that the party has earned credibility among the masses by not only articulating their aspirations in a responsive and responsible manner, but delivering on the developmental front as well.
Mr Sayeed said after 2002 elections, PDP came forward to espouse the cause of dignified and peaceful resolution of Kashmir issue at a time when there was all-round despair.
`’The people of the State at that time suffered from a feeling of deep hopelessness, strong alienation, cynical aloofness and complete lack of faith in the democratic political process,’ he said and added that being in touch with the ground realities PDP, at that crucial juncture, came forward to articulate the aspirations of the people in a responsive and responsible manner.
Mr Sayeed said responding to the people’s innermost yearning for peace with dignity, PDP crusaded the policy of repairing their hurt psyche, salvaging their bruised dignity, kindling a new hope in their hearts and motivating them to mould their destiny through a participatory democratic process.
‘The results were there for all to behold,’ he said and added that fortunately, the country’s leadership, at that time, also understood and appreciated this rejuvenating and hopeful political transformation in the state in post-2002 era and responded in good measure.
‘Unfortunately the anarchist policies of the present Government have again pushed Kashmir into a gloomy scenario of despair and alienation and the people have started looking towards PDP with immense hope to retrieve the State from the present quagmire,’ he alleged.
`’Emerging as a genuine and authentic voice of the people of J&K, PDP has opened itself to new responsibilities as the expectations of the people with the party have grown manifold,’ he said and assured the people that the party won’t let them down and work tirelessly towards realizing the dream of a peaceful, stable and prosperous Jammu and Kashmir.
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