KL Desk
Jammu
Hailing resumption of cross LoC trade between India and Pakistan from Chakan Da Bagh area of Poonch, patron of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Mufti Mohammad Sayeed Friday said that political leadership of both the countries have shown maturity by re-starting the cross LoC trade. He said that opening of crossing points on LoC for trade and travel was result of the pro-peace policies being propagated by the PDP since its formation.
Mufti was addressing a meeting of the district committees of PDP Poonch and Rajouri. He said that PDP has pioneered a political and economic agenda to establish sustainable peace in the subcontinent and for the development of backward and neglected areas.
“Establishing lasting peace and to consolidate the reconciliation process is on the top of the agenda of PDP”, Mufti said, adding, “Our party, through its pro-peace policies, has consolidated reconciliation process and facilitated the efforts of establishing peace in this region.
While reminding party workers about the historic rally on former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpyee at Srinagar on April 18, 2003 where he (Vajpayee) had extended hands of friendship towards Pakistan despite tension on border, Mufti said that historic event was the beginning of the era of peace in this region and credit for this goes the PDP.
“Beginning of cross-LoC trade, the opening of Srinagar-Muzafarabad and Poonch-Rawalakote roads are noticeable achievements of PDP”, he said and added that present UPA regime headed by Dr Manmohan Singh has also supported the pro-peace policies of PDP. He further mentioned that prevailing peace all along the borders from Kathua to Kargil was result of the reconciliatory policy pioneered and propagated by the PDP.
He asserted that biggest achievements of PDP was that it has created conducive atmosphere for initiating peace process and taking the Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) to normalize relations between India and Pakistan.
Speaking on the occasion, former Minister Moulvi Iftikar Hussain Ansari expressed his concern over failure of the present dispensation to carry forward the agenda of peace and development in the state. He said that PDP’s agenda had given encouraging result during the tenure of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed but the present government headed by Omar Abdullah has miserably failed to carry forward this agenda.
“Our politics is not for attain power. Aim of our party is to establish lasting peace in this region and restoring dignity and honour of the people of this state”, he said and asserted that by facilitating the peace and confidence building initiatives PDP has positively transformed the situation in Jammu and Kashmir.
Former Minister Mohammad Dilawar Mir while reminding the party leaders about the steps taken during the regime of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed for socio-economic growth of the people of Poonch and Rajouri districts, said that work on Mughal road, which had been stopped for the last two decades, was restarted only during PDP regime. He mentioned that as Chief Minister of the state Mufti Mohammad Sayeed had arranged special funds for the completion of the Mughal road.
“Through his conviction and sincerity Mufti Mohammad Sayeed has facilitated historic peace and confidence building initiatives which positively transformed the political discourse not only within the state, but throughout the sub-continent”, he maintained.
Former Finance Minister Tariq Hamid Qarra lambasted the National Conference led coalition regime for its failure to follow the progressive policies and programmes formulated by the previous government headed by Mufti Mohammad Sayeed for the equitable development of the state.
He reminded that previous government headed by Mufti Mohammad Sayeed had formulated a comprehensive programme for the socio-economic growth of backward districts of Poonch and Rajouri. “As the education is the vital component for the socio-economic upliftment of the people, PDP led regime had given more thrust on creating educational infrastructure in areas like Poonch Rajouri which remained backward due to the wrong policies of the successive NC governments”, he said and pointed out opening of Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University at Rajouri was one of the biggest achievements during the regime of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed to bring revolution in the education sector especially in educationally backward Rajouri and Poonch districts. PDP leaders said that Baba Ghulam Shah Badhshah University, which was opened during the regime of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, has been emerging as centre of learning in this region and credit for this development has gone to the visionary policies of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed.
“Besides opening a large number of higher secondary schools, new degree colleges were also opened at Thanamandi, Budhal, Mendhar, Surankote, Kalakote and Nowshere to fulfill long pending demand of the people”, he said.
