Confidence building measures by Delhi key to Kashmir progress: Mehbooba

“Peace and stability is possible only when we revive, with firm resolve and with tangible confidence building measures, the process of reconciliation and engagement in and around Jammu and Kashmir,” said Mehbooba, an MP, who recently hinted to go ahead with the BJP  for formation of a coalition government in Jammu and Kashmir again.

PDP, which has 27 legislators in the 87-member Jammu and Kashmir Assembly, along with 25-member BJP was running a government for ten months till the sudden death of Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed on Jan 7.

Jammu and Kashmir is now under Governor’s Rule since Mehbooba did not stake claim to form the government immediately and took time to reconsider a coalition government with the BJP.

Mehbooba, daughter of late Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, was addressing a gathering of PDP workers at Vijaypur in district in Samba here to launch of the party’s membership drive in the region.

Mehbooba said J&K has huge stakes in peace and stability in the region, as people in both Kashmir and Jammu regions have to suffer enormous human and economic losses because of the hostility.

“While people living along the borders in Jammu region suffer and live under the constant threat of cross-border shelling, the people in Kashmir valley are suffering because of the continued internal strife and recurrent violence,” she said and added that peace along the borders in Jammu region and within the mainland in Kashmir is key to development and progress as had happened between 2002 and 2005.

“There was not only peace along the borders from Kathua to Kargil, during that golden era, but the situation in Kashmir valley had also started turning for good after witnessing a long gloomy era of death and destruction,” she said and added that unfortunately due to the reversal of the peace and reconciliation process after 2008, uncertainty has again returned to haunt the people of the State.

“We shall have to ponder over the emerging situation in the State and go deep into the reasons for mounting alienation especially among the educated youth,” Mehbooba said and added that concrete measures shall have to be taken to address the causes of alienation and cynicism and at the same time revive the process of intra-state and inter-state reconciliation, which was the dream of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed. 

“Mufti Sahab wanted to take the peace and resolution process started between 2002 and 2005 to its logical conclusion,” she said.

Mehbooba said the Kashmir issue should not be seen through the security prism alone and the country needs to invest in J&K’s peace and own and acknowledge the pain and sufferings of its people.

“The ordinary people of India need to participate in hand holding with Kashmiris to give them a sense of belonging,” she added and added that when we talk of Jammu and Kashmir being an integral part of India, we need to go beyond the ownership of land.

“People of Jammu and Kashmir should not be given to feel that their dignity is being undermined,” she said.

Mehbooba said addressing the genuine political, economic and security concerns of the people of Jammu and Kashmir is an issue which goes beyond power politics and requires a decisive political will at various levels.

“We shall have to take decisive confidence building measures to end the gloomy scenario of despair and alienation the state has been once again pushed into,” she said and added that the most daring challenge for PDP is to be with the people and show solidarity with them.

She said the party is committed to its resolve of working for peace, stability and development of Jammu and Kashmir.

(Reporting by Saleem Qadri)