Srinagar, July 26: The Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday urged Government of India to continue talks with Pakistan for resolving Kashmir, saying the “start-stop” approach in the dialogue process was leading nowhere.
“It is heartening for us to see that dialogue process was going on,” said Omar. “We are not foolish to expect solution to the problems overnight but what we wish to see is continuity in the process.”
Omar was speaking after jointly inaugurating Passport Sewa Kendra here along with the External Affairs Minister S M Krishna. “The start-stop approach in the dialogue process pains thought there can be possibility of legitimate grounds for it,” he said.
The CM said no state is as affected as J&K in terms of relations between India and Pakistan. He said when relation between India and Pakistan improve the impact is visible in J&K and when the relations deteriorate the state was the recipient of it.
Wishing Krishna for his upcoming visit to Islamabad, Omar said: “We will be keenly looking forward to your visit.”
He urged Krishna to take up issues like transferring cross-LoC trade from barter system to normal one by allowing financial transactions through banks. Omar hoped that Krishna would take up issue for simplifying visa regime for cross-LoC travel to enhance the ambit of the people to people centric CBM, with his counterpart in Pakistan during his visit.
Omar asked government of India to restore direct Hajj flights from Srinagar to Saudi Arabia. “It will be a huge gift for people of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
Omar said the number of passport seekers was increasing every year and his government has taken measures to fast track the security clearance for issuance of passports. He said 51000 passport cases were cleared in 2010, 60000 in 2011-12 and 50000 this year.
“We have also cleared 6000 cases this year which were placed in black list. Passport clearance was also given to 2700 Hajj pilgrims”, he said.
Omar said state government was considering possibility of bringing passport clearance by CID within the purview of Public Service Guarantee Act to make delivery of this service time-bound.
Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Dr Farooq Abdullah hoped that the upcoming visit of Krishna to Pakistan would be a breakthrough in building the relations between two countries.
“Krishna Ji is going to Pakistan in September. We wish him good luck and hope that the steps taken for the friendship are taken to logical conclusion,” Dr Farooq said.
He asked India and Pakistan to shun animosity and work towards building the relation between two countries.
“We have witnessed many wars in past 60 years and lot of blood has been spilled. Time has come for Pakistan to also realize that this bloodbath should stop,” Farooq said.
He said the friendship between India and Pakistan would lead to prosperity of the two nations and any delay in it would hinder the development.
“I hope Pakistan will realize it,” Dr Farooq said.
He termed “fight against terrorism” as biggest challenge that world faces. “It has to be rooted out from the world and we have to work in unison for it,” Dr Farooq said.
On issuance of passports in J&K, Dr Farooq said the “biggest problem” faced by the people is the delay in getting clearance from the intelligence and security agencies.
“I request Chief Minister (Omar Abdullah) who is also the Home Minister to see this process is expedited so that people avail this facility easily,” Dr Farooq said.

Lastupdate on : Thu, 26 Jul 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Thu, 26 Jul 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Fri, 27 Jul 2012 00:00:00 IST