Srinagar, Aug 7: With the political delegation from Jammu and Kashmir headed for New Delhi to meet the Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh on Tuesday to discuss the prevailing crisis in the Valley, the ruling coalition partners National Conference and state Congress maintain it was time for New Delhi to “act fast” and re-start dialogue process both at the external and internal fronts.
Except for the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party which is not a part of the delegation, leaders from various political parties including NC, Congress, BJP and other one-man fronts is scheduled to meet the Prime Minister to discuss the worsening situation in Kashmir in which 50 people have got killed in Police and CRPF action since June 11. Senior Congress leader, Taj Mohiuddin said there is no denying the fact that Kashmir is a political issue and has to be solved politically.
“The party delegation to be led by the state Congress president, Prof Saif-ud-Din Soz would urge the Prime Minister to initiate the dialogue process at both external and internal levels vis-à-vis Kashmir,” Taj said and added that there has to be a sustained dialogue if we want to reach to any kind of solution on Kashmir.
However, Taj said the priority should be to ensure that peace returns to the Valley at the earliest. “The party will also raise unemployment issue with the Prime Minister and seek some kind of a package for the unemployed youth,” said Taj who is also minister for PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control in the coalition government.
The visit of the political delegation to Delhi follows the decision taken at an All Party Meeting convened by the chief minister here last month which had decided to urge the government of India to strengthen the ongoing peace process through the internal and external dialogue and seek Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s intervention in resolving the problems faced by the state.
Senior NC leader Dr Mehboob Beg said his party was hoping that government of India would act fast on the statement made by the Home Minister, P Chidambaram in the Parliament that “the government must fulfil and deliver on its commitments and promises on Kashmir.”
“I am hopeful that government, without any further delay, will act on the commitment made by the Home Minister. The government can’t brush aside the fact that nobody in the state is satisfied with the status quo. They have been making mistakes that any concession will dent the sovereignty of India,” Dr Beg said.
The NC, and chief minister, Omar Abdullah had been reiterating that Kashmir needs to be solved politically and no economic packages could be a substitute for the permanent solution to Kashmir on political lines.
“The delegation will urge the Prime Minister that we can’t keep the dialogue process hostage to Mumbai attacks. We have to move forward and find a solution acceptable to all,” Dr Beg said.
Maintaining that the PDP had nothing to do with the meeting of state parties with the Prime Minister, the party’s chief spokesman, Naeem Akthar said: “the useless exercises (carried out at the state-level) will not lead us to anywhere and that is the reason we had decided to stay away from the All Party Meeting earlier. We were never part of the process at any level.”
However he asserted that all the problems related to the Kashmir have to be solved at the level of the Prime Ministers who has the credibility.
He said state government and other JK parties had eroded the sanctity of meeting with the Prime Minister. “Besides the chief minister, leaders of all the parties met him individually (to discuss Kashmir). The decision to take a delegation of the state level parties to meet PM was taken after killing of 50 Kashmiris. If they were really interested in finding a way out why was there so much delay,” he asked.
However he said if the PM takes any initiative on his own and calls an All Party Meet on Kashmir, the PDP would always be part of the initiative in the interest of the resolution of Kashmir issue.

Lastupdate on : Sat, 7 Aug 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sat, 7 Aug 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sun, 8 Aug 2010 00:00:00 IST