Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar Aug 31: People’s Democratic Party president, Mehbooba Mufti, today said that political process started by former Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, didn’t move forward since then and is being re-started.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a political rally in North Kashmir’s Baramulla district, Mehbooba said: “When Mufti Mohammad Sayeed started political process at the time of Prime Minister Vajpayee and after his exit it didn’t move forward. We are again starting from Zero.”
The PDP president said that as far as Hurriyat Conference is concerned they have right to put forward their view point but can’t be consulted on every issue. “As far Hurriyat Conference is concerned, we have always maintained that in democratic set up every one has right to put forward view point. But when you are taking of bordering firing and terrorism, which is being faced by Pakistan and we are also facing it. It is not necessary that they are being invited every time”, she said.
“In our agenda of alliance, we have said that talks should be held with everyone. I want to repeat it that when you are taking of Siachen, Sir Creek, bordering firing and terrorism, they can’t be included in every issue”, said Mehbooba.
The PDP president said that the cancellation of NSA level talks between India and Pakistan is harmful for the people of Jammu and Kashmir. “I feel cancellation of these talks is harmful for the people of Jammu and Kashmir”, she added.
Earlier, while addressing a PDP convention in Baramulla, Mehbooba reiterated her party’s resolve to usher the State into an era of peace, stability and prosperity. “There is no substitute to dialogue and the policy of peace and reconciliation that was put in place after 2002 Assembly elections in and around J&K,” she said.
Expressing dismay over the continuing tension along the borders, the PDP president said the process of reconciliation has to be taken to its logical conclusion in the interest of peace and stability of the region as confrontation has only brought miseries to the people. “Since its formation, PDP has been on the forefront of responding to the aspirations of the people and channelize them through democratic means,” she said, adding the driving force for the PDP’s pro-people agenda is the public support, without which the party could have not achieved much, both in and out of the Government.
Mehbooba said in its brief tenure in the Government between 2002 and 2005, PDP had successfully taken the State on the path of peace, tranquility and development. “We had set a goal of healing physical, psychological and emotional wounds inflicted by violence, strive towards giving good governance, ensuring political stability and fulfilling expectations of the people. We made efforts and succeeded in numerous ways as the country’s political leadership at that time fully supported the new enterprise of hope,” she said and sought people’s support to accomplish PDP’s unfinished agenda of ending political and economic uncertainties plaguing Jammu and Kashmir for decades.
“Unfortunately the successive Governments in the State didn’t pursue the process of reconciliation initiated under the leadership of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 2002. Even the cross LoC bus flagged off in 2003 was never changed,” Mehbooba said.
“History has come full circle now. The people of J&K remember that time as one of peace and economic rejuvenation in the State. The political leadership of the country has once again got an opportunity to engage and end the stalemate in the region,” she said and added that alongside political initiatives, a sustainable developmental process has to be started in J&K to consolidate the peace efforts.
“The new Government under the leadership of Mufti Sahab has set the ball rolling to revive crucial sectors like road communication, health, education and rural development which were at the verge of decay due to negligence and corruption in the previous Governments,” the PDP president said.
Mehbooba said the State Government has prioritized the employment of the educated youth on permanent basis in a transparent manner and various skill enhancement programs have been started for aspiring youth so that they get productive employment.
Complimenting the PDP cadres for having sacrificed their personal interests for the larger welfare of the party and the State, the PDP president said the party has tried to acknowledge this fact by empowering the cadres at the grassroots level. “Nomination of Nazir Ahmad Laway and Fayaz Ahmad Mir to the Rajya Sabha stands testimony to the fact that PDP offers huge opportunities of growth for its cadres,” she said and reiterated her party’s resolve to work with fresh zeal towards mitigating the sufferings of the State and its people.
PDP leaders and Ministers Syed Basharat Bukhari and Moulvi Imran Raza Ansari, party general secretary, Nizam-ud-Din Bhat, legislators, Javaid Hassan Beigh, Mohammad Abbas Wani and Yawar Dillawar, District President Baramulla, Raja Aijaz, Irshad Kar, Daljit Singh and Nazir Ahmad Naikoo also addressed the convention.
‘CM alright, returning today’
People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president, Mehbooba Mufti, today put an end to the speculations about health of Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and said that he is well and returning home tomorrow.
Mufti’s daughter, Mehbooba, said that her father is “all well with the grace of God” and will be returning home from Delhi tomorrow.
The PDP president said that the Chief Minister was in Delhi from where he went to Mumbai and then Bangalore to meet his son.
“Today he came back to Delhi and will return to Valley tomorrow,” she said, adding that her father is all well. “If people will speculate, what can I do,” she said.
“You didn’t listen to his Independence speech. Wasn’t he all right”, she asked.
Follow our WhatsApp channel