Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, Apr 4: Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today urged Pakistan to stop abetting militancy in Jammu and Kashmir as it did when Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the Prime Minister and help in restoration of peace in the State.
Addressing an election rally in Dooru, Anantnag where her brother Tasaduq Hussain Mufti is contesting, Mehbooba appealed Pakistan to stop abetting militancy in Jammu and Kashmir so that peace is restored and dialogue is started.
“It is my appeal to Pakistan that adopt the policy, you adopted during Vajpayee’s time that militancy is not to be supported, gun is not to be supported, help us in restoring peace. When peace is restored in Jammu and Kashmir, there will be talks here (with separatists) and there (with Pakistan) as well. Help us in restoring peace”, the Chief Minister said.
Mehbooba said that Pakistan had assured then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee that it will not allow use of its territory for militancy in Jammu and Kashmir and it resulted in ceasefire on borders and decline in militancy here.
“Vajpayee Ji went to Pakistan twice, then Pakistani president assured him that they would not allow use of its territory for militancy in Jammu and Kashmir. We got this benefit that militancy declined in Kashmir and there was ceasefire on the borders”, she said.
The Chief Minister accused Congress of not making any headway in the process that was started by former Prime Minister. “… But then Congress came to power and they did nothing for 10 years. They didn’t talk to Pakistan. But when Narendra Modi came, he went to Pakistan to meet Nawaz Sharif. There was silver lining in it but unfortunately Pathankote attack took place. This time will also pass. Vajpayee Ji used to say we can change friends but not neighours. We have to live in coexistence”, she said.
She accused the Congress and NC of not carrying forward Vajpayee’s peace process with Pakistan. “Congress and NC Government was here for 10 years but where Mufti Sahib left the dialogue process it remained stagnant there only. When they could not address Kashmir in six years, now they are in opposition and have also lost cushion as well, what can they do”?, she asked.
Mehbooba accused previous NC-Congress Government of rise in militancy in the State and youth resorting to stone pelting. “When Mufti Sahib was the Chief Minister, the bullets had stopped then and roads were opened, the talks were going on and militancy was almost negligible. But unfortunately when we came to power in 2015, the militancy was up and the children in whose hands there should had been pen, computer and ball, there was stone in their hands”, she said.
Chief Minister said that earlier the challenge for her party was to save people from the torment and now it is bringing astray youth back. “Previously our party had challenge to save our children, youth and elderly from the torment of camps and task force and how to save them from bullets. Now our challenge is how to bring back the youth who are holding stones in their hand and have joined militancy and how to restore peace here again”, she said.
Mehbooba said that development is subject to peace. “Last year you saw when situation worsened and we could not construct roads and no development work was done, tourism was shut, everything was shut. So when there is peace, there will be electricity, there will be development”, she said.
The Chief Minister said that they are employing SPOs in tourism. “If there is tourism, there will be employment. Earlier SPOs were recruited for police but we are recruiting them for tourism. They should be fluent in Urdu and English and they should have knowledge about tourism and tourist places”, she said.
“Our every village is Gulmarg, Pahalgam, Verinag but we have encroached the streams. The tourists can come to see our Gujjar Dokas. We are building a tribal village but there should be better facilities in these villages for tourists which we will develop”, she said.
“We build big hotels and give benefit to the big people but we should understand the first right to the tourist places is of locals. Tasaquq sahib is saying same thing. Let us not wait for small time Government jobs. Our youth is talented. They get medals in sports, they crack IAS. But they are not given a chance. If someone plays better cricket, he does not get opportunity to go ahead”, she said.
Mehbooba said that her Government will bring Jammu and Kashmir out of morass. “It is my appeal to you that Mufti Mohammad Sayeed made this party for you. We are in power for next 4 years. We have to bring the Jammu and Kashmir out of morass. The big challenge for us is how to bring the youth, who have mentally gone far away from us, back”, she said.
The Chief Minister said that her Government has started addressing the unemployment problem. “I know we could not do anything for our workers. The other parties like Congress and National Conference ruled this State for 40-45 years. We got chance for three years in 2002 and the situation was very bad at that time but we brought normalcy. And when Mufti Sahib came back, he told me that workers have stood for us and we have to do something for them. I know what are your issues? Now we have started addressing the unemployment problem, we have made a beginning”, she said.
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