Pahalgam, Sep 10: Asserting that the decisions of Jammu and Kashmir will be taken by the people of the state and not anybody else, former Chief Minister and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) patron, Mufti Muhammad Sayeed Monday said that New Delhi cannot decide the destiny of the state’s people. He said Delhi can’t rule J&K by remote control now.
“It is the people of Jammu and Kashmir who have to take decisions and decide their fate,” said Mufti while addressing a gathering in this South Kashmir tourist resort of Islamabad (Anantnag) district.
He said New Delhi can no longer decide the destiny of Kashmiris through remote control. “God willing and with your support we will form the next government in the state and change the destiny of this place,” said Mufti.
Reminding the people of developmental activities and peace initiatives carried by his regime, Mufti said; “During our three years tenure we laid the foundation of development and peace and provided justice to all under our healing touch policy”.
He said that during his rule he provided space to separatists as well. “We released the political prisoners including Syed Ali Shah Geelani from jails and instead of keeping them under house arrest provided them political space and did not stop them from expressing their views democratically”.
He said that nobody was slapped with Public Safety Act (PSA) in his rule.
“We want to bring out Kashmiris from the situation of uncertainty and deceptive calm and for that we will carry everyone irrespective of his party affiliation and ideology along,” said Mufti.
Welcoming the liberal visa policy signed by India and Pakistan during the recently concluded Foreign Ministers meet, Mufti said; “We are always for Indo-Pak friendship and signing of new visa agreement will certainly build the trust between two nations and also help in more people-to-people contact”.
However, he said that unless the peace process between India and Pakistan is redirected to J&K specific measures as had happened in 2003, the dialogue will lack meaning for the people of this state who are the main stakeholders in reconciliation between the two countries.
“Our state has been the cause of strife between the two nations and during our rule we tried to act as a bridge in the friendship of two countries as a result of which several Kashmir-centric Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) were initiated. Similarly, this time around also the two countries should have tried to work on increasing the frequency of the ongoing Srinagar-Muzaffarabad and Poonch-Rawalakote bus services rather than making it a symbolic one and also devise formalities for opening of more routes like Kargil-Skardu route,” said Mufti.
He said that India and Pakistan did not take care of aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir while taking decisions.
Mufti said PDP has emerged as a source of stability and political alternative given the peoples’ support to it, its voice cannot be ignored.
He said that the party has provided a platform to the people of Jammu and Kashmir for channelizing their democratic aspirations.
Regarding the tourism potential of state, Mufti said; “The development of infrastructure for high-end tourism and preservation of environment and ecology should be the corner-stone of tourism policy for the state.”
While, recalling some major initiatives his government had taken for revival of tourism, Mufti said as many as 22 tourism development authorities were created in his tenure. “Work on golf courses, multi-facility clubs, new parks, accommodation and roads was started in already established destinations like Srinagar, Pahalgam, Gulmarg, Ladakh and Patnitop. “Unfortunately work on some major projects started by the previous government led by PDP have been stalled while the complaints of favoritism and how virgin places with full tourism potential have been spoiled by the vested interest groups in nexus with politicians galore,” Mufti said.
He emphasized on a comprehensive policy needed for value addition to brand name Kashmir which must create an impact in the global tourism industry.
Speaking on the occasion, party senior vice president Moulvi Iftikhar Hussain Ansari, expressed concern over the misgovernance in the state  “The present dispensation cannot count even a single area of achievement in its nearly four years of rule,” said Ansari.
He said that the anarchy at the top had resulted in the collapse of administration and every government amenity or public service was being sold against money.
Rafi Ahmad Mir, MLA Pahalgam, while addressing the gathering said it was unfortunate that his constituency was being ignored by the present dispensation.
“People have to suffer for want of basic amenities and even in this famous tourist resort the condition of roads including Aru road, Maamal road, Baisaran road and Circuit road is pathetic,’ Mir said.
Naeem Akhtar, the chief spokesman of PDP in his address said it is Pahalgam and Ganderbal constituency that changed the political scene in Jammu and Kashmir by electing Mehbooba Mufti from Pahalgam and defeating Omar Abdullah from his ‘stronghold’ Ganderbal constituency. “These two decisions of the people gave a new shift by introducing an element of accountability within the system of the state,” Akhtar said.
Senior Party leader Addul Rehman Veeri also spoke on the occasion.

Lastupdate on : Mon, 10 Sep 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Mon, 10 Sep 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Tue, 11 Sep 2012 00:00:00 IST