Jammu, Aug 15: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) President Mehbooba Mufti on Monday lambasted the coalition government led by Omar Abdullah for its “anti-people and anti-youth policies” which she said has created chaos and confusion besides plunging the state into economic morass.
 “The present dispensation has not only failed to address the problems and grievances of the people but it has not even been successful in carrying forward the development projects and trust generated among the people by the previous PDP led government in the state”, Mehbooba said while addressing a public meeting here.
 The PDP president alleged that the present government had negated every good work and hard efforts taken by the previous government led by her party. “The vision of former Chief Minister of the state Mufti Muhammad Sayeed got a full support from the center and its was collective efforts that the state was brought out of the morass and once again brought back on the path of development and prosperity”.
 “The present regime has not moved forward the developmental process. As a result the people are reeling under the lack of development,” the PDP president said adding that during the Congress-PDP rule, new road, power and tourism projects were started, but now all of those have been stopped.
 “It is unfortunate that whatever good done by the previous government has been reversed by the present dispensation. The killings of innocent civilians, custodial disappearances, financial mess, lack of development and accountability has become order of the day in the state”, she said.
 The unemployed youth were struggling for survival, while the employed one were fighting for their rights on roads, she said adding the economic policies and surrender of every financial resource has added to the miseries of the people.
 Reiterating her PDP’s demand of free economic zone as envisaged in the self rule document of the party, Mehbooba said that it will usher a new era of peace, tranquility and development in the Asia. “Jammu and Kashmir has the potential of becoming the hub of this free trade zone”, she said adding, “This will also be in the interest of the people of both India and Pakistan”.
 She said while the people on either side of LoC should be able to live with dignity in their homes, they should also be “granted freedom to travel and trade with each other”.
 The PDP president demanded opening of the Jammu-Sialkote route for trade and cross LoC visit on the pattern of Chakan-da-Bagh and Uri-Muzaffarabad route. “Like Kashmir region, thousands of families in Jammu also live across the border and this route will help to reunite them”, she said.

Lastupdate on : Mon, 15 Aug 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Mon, 15 Aug 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Tue, 16 Aug 2011 00:00:00 IST