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Lone describes meeting with PM ‘positive’
PDP warns BJP on ‘hawkish’ slogan of Article 370
Security beefed up for R-Day functions
31 women return after Sadbhavana tour
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Lone describes meeting with PM ‘positive’
Srinagar, January 23 He was addressing a press conference at his Sanatnagar residence here this afternoon following his meeting as the head of a five-member team with Dr Manmohan Singh in New Delhi on January 14. He said his team put forth the party’s point of view and the importance of a dialogue process with the involvement of the people of Kashmir. The People’s Conference was the only party outside the separatist Hurriyat Conference (Mirwaiz) invited by the Centre for holding talks to resolve the Kashmir issue. The five-member team of the People’s Conference, led by Mr Sajjad Lone, included Peer Hafeezullah Makhdoomi, Qazi Yasir, (Mirwaiz of south Kashmir), Rashid Mehmood and Abdul Rashid Lone. “I believe in this process and I am sure we will get results”, Mr Lone said in reply to questions. He said during his meeting with the central leaders, an attempt had also been made to get an overview of their views on Kashmir and importance of the peace process. “The impact of the peace process should be felt on the ground”, he said, adding that emphasis was made on the issue. “I also emphasised the need to see the role of people in resolving the Kashmir issue”, he commented while giving his views on the talks with the Prime Minister. He, however, declined to divulge the details of the meeting with Dr Manmohan Singh saying that these details were not being given under such circumstances. He held that focus had to be on the results of a dialogue process and not on the details, which should not be divulged to maintain the sanctity of the talks. Mr Lone said it was not possible for all individuals or parties in Kashmir to participate in a joint dialogue with the Centre. He said the ongoing dialogue process initiated by the Centre with the Kashmir leadership was a better choice that would make the process more effective under the present circumstances. Mr Lone added that different individuals and groups in Jammu and Kashmir had varied voices that would not help in making joint dialogue successful. “It is important that more and more people are involved to make the peace process a success… I do not have a sole representation”, Mr Lone said, adding that sole representation was “too big a concept”. He, however, said his party did not need any recognition, which had been explicit by attracting mammoth public gatherings during the past few years. He expressed hope that in due course of time the dialogue process would gain credibility by giving results, adding that it could be possible only by talking to more and more people and individuals. |
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PDP warns BJP on ‘hawkish’ slogan of Article 370
Jammu, January 23 The political resolution adopted by the PDP at its convention here today
criticised the BJP for reverting to its old “hawkish and schizophrenic”
agenda on Kashmir. Mufti Sayeed, former Chief Minister, presided over the meeting. His daughter and party chief, Ms Mehbooba Mufti, Mr Muzaffar Baig, Deputy Chief Minister, and all ministers, MLAs and MLCs belonging to the party were present in the meeting. The resolution, which was moved by Mr Dillawar Mir, who had recently deserted the National Conference, said the BJP demand was harmful for the efforts made in the past three years to create a national consensus on the need to find an amicable resolution of the Kashmir issue. The PDP said a defining moment had arrived for the state of Jammu and Kashmir. It was time to focus on resolution of problems in a more meaningful manner and add substance to the process of dialogue by addressing specifics. It urged the Centre to take on board all major political parties in the country to evolve a sustainable consensus on the need for resolving the Kashmir issue through peaceful means and defining parameters for it outside the hawkish stance of some quarters. The Centre should carry forward the confidence-building measures to enable greater, hassle-free and productive interaction between people across the Line of Control (LoC). The resolution had an advice for the gun-wielding youth whom it urged to recognise the merit of peaceful means in the global context and come forward to join the peace process and present a non-violent agenda for the resolution of the problem. It said while India had started a process of dialogue with Pakistan and different parties in Jammu and Kashmir, the Pakistan leadership had for the first time grown out of the glacial diplomatic position on Kashmir and advanced more realistic solutions that were drastically different from its stated stance. These augured well for a breakthrough in finding a solution to the apparently intractable problem and was a tribute to the efforts of the PDP-led coalition in the state that consistently advocated peaceful and civilised means to resolve differences and inspired confidence among the people of the state that their elected government could articulate their political aspirations, which represented a healthy break from the past and contributed to the new scenario. The PDP called upon all parties within the state to try and evolve a consensus on the objectives of the dialogue process in more concrete and quantifiable, political, constitutional and economic terms. The
PDP would seek an internal dialogue at the state level with different
organisations to reconcile various positions on the state’s relations
with the Centre and for the ultimate resolution of the problem. |
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Security beefed up for R-Day functions
Srinagar, January 23 The main function will be held at the Bakshi Stadium here, which is under strict vigil of the Jammu and Kashmir Police and CRPF. Similar measures have been taken around vital installations here and at other district headquarters and major towns throughout the valley. The police and security forces have been launching search operations near vital installations to thwart militants. The security measures and checking in the Lal Chowk area, the nerve centre of the city, over the past several days have forced many people to remain indoors. Long queues of pedestrians for security check can be seen at the Budshah Chowk here. Police and security personnel have taken positions at houses around the Bakshi Stadium, where a full dress rehearsal will be held tomorrow. Strict vigil is being maintained over residents of the areas and passersby in view of the security measures. |
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31 women return after Sadbhavana tour
Srinagar, January 23 The vocational and sight-seeing excursion of the women under 19 Inf Division, which began on January 7, concluded with their reception at the 15 Corps headquarters here by Mrs V.K. Singh, wife of Major General V.K. Singh, Chief of Staff of the 15 Corps. The participants presented a cultural show and shared their experiences on their maiden visit outside the valley. A Defence spokesman said that the 31 women were taken to historical places of Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab between January 9 and 22. They visited Udhampur, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Kapurthala, Chandigarh, Amritsar, Wagah and Jammu. Besides familiarising them with the local customs and traditions and cultural heritage they had been conducted to Rail Coach Factory at Kapurthala and some of the textile factories. |
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