Mufti concerns over delay in implementation of CBMs announced in Indo-Pak foreign ministers summit

GNS Report Poonch, Former Chief Minister and patron of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Mufti Mohammad Sayeed expressed his concern over lack of progress in the peace process pioneered by his party and implemented during PDP-Congress regime. Addressing an impressive public meeting at Poonch, Mr Sayeed said that neither external dimensions nor internal situation was addressed to solve the Kashmir problem. He regretted that no progress has been made in the Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) announced in the recently held summit of the Foreign Ministers of India and Pakistan. “It was announced in the Foreign Ministers meeting that cross LoC movement would be further facilitated and facility to visit both sides of Kashmir would be extended all people”, he reminded but regretted that that announcement regarding communication facilities to the traders engaged in cross LoC trade and other step to boost this trade still remained only on papers. He demanded that there should be no delay in implementing the CBMs announced in the Foreign Ministers summit.He further emphasized that besides initiating steps to boost cross LoC trade, facility of visiting both sides of LoC should not be confined only to divided families. “There should be free movement of people from both sides of Kashmir”, he demanded. Terming opening of points on LoC as most significant CBM since 1947, Mr Sayeed that opening of Uri-Muzafferabad and Poonch-Rawlakote roads has liberated people of Jammu and Kashmir from seize which they had been facing after partition of the country. “After 1947 all traditional routes connecting Jammu and Kashmir with rest of the world were plugged”, he said and reminded the gathering that it was all due to the assiduous efforts of the PDP that points were opened on LoC.Stressing on the opening more points, he maintained that cooperation on economic, social and cultural fronts was the only way to bring the people of the subcontinent together to end the political uncertainties that have marred the region's growth.The PDP patron regretted that the present dispensation headed by National Conference was not only failed to further facilitate cross LoC movement and trade but it has rather reversed the whole process. He observed that the reign of terror unleashed by the present regime was prevention creation of conducive atmosphere for resolution of the Kashmir problem. He especially mentioned towards Shopian, Bomai, Surankote and Sopore incident and pointed out that during the last three years the present has not only created governance deficit but also the trust deficit. Describing the peace process pioneered by his party as irreversible process, former Chief Minister regretted that Government has India has also not taken any positive step to further accelerate this process which has been virtually stopped since formation of the present regime headed by National Conference in the state.He also stressed on the need of shunning the compartmentalized approach as internal mistrust, underdeveloped democratic space, development deficit and governance crisis loomed large over the state.Mr Sayeed that PDP had scripted a new chapter of peace and development in the State. He said that July 28, 1999 was landmark in the political history of Jammu and Kashmir because PDP was formed on that day and this party has revived people’s faith in the democratic institutions. “It was PDP that had restored people faith in the democracy”, he said and especially mentioned victory of PDP candidate Qazi Mohammed Afzal from Ganderbal assembly segment which was once considered as strong hold of NC. “Not only we revived people faith in democracy but also pioneered and implemented the process of peace and reconciliation in the state”, he said and reminded that gathering it was during the regime of PDP that historic CBMs were taken to restore lasting peace in this region. Mr Sayeed told the people of Poonch that this area would be soon emerged as “Gateway of Kashmir” and this belt would be a biggest business centre of this sub-continent.He reminded that during the regime of PDP-Congress various steps were taken for the development of this land locked border districts of Poonch and Rajouri.In the meeting PDP patron also condemned bomb blasts at Delhi in which many innocent people have lost their lives. He described this act as inhuman and said that it was handiwork of anti-peace forces. He appealed to the people to maintain peace and communal harmony.Thakur Balbir Singh, general secretary, Choudhary Zulfikar Ali,MLA, Murtaza Khan, MLC, Hussain Ali Bafa, Bharat Bhushan Gupta, Hamid Manhas, district president, Imtiyaz Bandey, Nadeem Khan, Sardar Gurmeet Singh Raja and others also addressed the meeting.