Excelsior Correspondent
POONCH Aug 3: Shamsher Hakla Poonchi the prominent Gujjar Leader of the State has appealed to the Gujjar Bakerwal Community to work for restoration of peace, normalcy and communal harmony.
In a statement here, today he urged to Prime Minister to bring about a solution of Kashmir tangle. He appealed to fix a date for dialogue on the solution of Kashmir problem, so that an early and lasting peace in the State be restored and thereby continued militancy can be brought to an end.
Shamsher Hakla has also appealed to the Prime-Minister that while initiating any dialogue on solution of Kashmir problems Gujjar and Bakerwal community be included in the talks. He said, excluding Ladakh and Kargil districts the Gujjar and Bakerwal community resides in 20 districts of the State whose population is over 34 lakh.
Gujjar and Bakerwals mostly reside in Far-Flung, hilly and mountainous areas as well as on the LoC, he said. The needs and the problems of Gujjars and Bakerwals are of a peculiar nature and their culture and language is different and as such the community has a distinct identity.
Hakla said the Gujjars and Bakerwals have been defending the national unity and Integrity right from Tribal war of 1947 and during the war with Pakistan in 1965 and 1971, the Gujjar and Bakerwals of the State gave many sacrifices. He said, that in 1989-90 when militancy was on peak in J&K Gujjars and Bakerwals performed the heroic deeds and took a front against the terrorists. So in the process of determining the fate of State the opinion of Gujjars and Bakerwals should also be considered, he added.
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