Jammu, Jan 12: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed today accused the government of hampering the cross-LoC trade through unnecessary restrictions.
 Maintaining that the trade and travel across the LoC had become possible only due to the “assiduous efforts of the previous PDP-Congress regime in the state,” Mufti said the present dispensation headed by National Conference has not only “failed to further facilitate this trade but it has rather reversed the whole process.”
 “What to say of exploring fresh trade avenues between two divided sides of J&K, the present government has even hampered the cross-LoC trade through unnecessary restrictions,” he said.
 Stressing on the need for creating requisite infrastructure for the cross-LoC trade, Mufti reiterated his demand of allowing free movement of people and commodities across the dividing line of J&K.
 Welcoming a large number of youth who joined PDP today at Jammu, Mufti, according to a party handout, said that opening of cross LoC trade was the most significant and historic Confidence Building Measures (CBM) which needed to be further facilitated in the larger interest of the region’s peace and prosperity.
  “Through its convictions and vision, the previous PDP-Congress regime had convinced both India and Pakistan to announce CBMs for restoring peace in this region and the decision to open LoC for travel and trade was one of the biggest and historic CBMs which has brought unprecedented relief to the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
 Mufti observed that opening of LoC for free movement of people and goods had become a stepping-stone towards forging of a new economic alliance in the region.
 Strongly advocating dismantling of the barriers for hassle-free cross LoC travel and trade, he said that restrictions imposed on free movement of people and commodities have only deprived the region of the vast potential of economic activities that could have transformed the lives of its people.
 Mufti stressed the need for a credible banking back up and proper communication system for the trans-LoC trade to harness its full potential.
 He demanded the travel across the LoC should not be confined only to divided families. “People of J&K should be allowed to move freely on both sides of the LoC,” he demanded, and observed 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.
 In the presence of Dr Mumtaz Bukhari and Hussain Ali Wafa, state secretary of PDP,  Majid Shah, Imran Khan, Tahir Hussain, Sartaz Shah, Ravi Sharma, Javid Iqbal, Muhammad Asraf, Yasir Shah, Aftab Hussain, Akbar Ali, Shamsher Ali, Sarjeevan, Sultan Ali, Sadam Hussain Shah, Muzafar Shah, Adil, Sheikh Mukthiyar and Muhammad Ayub and others joined PDP.

Lastupdate on : Wed, 12 Jan 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Wed, 12 Jan 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Thu, 13 Jan 2011 00:00:00 IST