Shangus (Anantnag), December 14
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has asked Pakistan to prevent its territory from being used by some elements for terrorist activities against India, saying the nation always stood for better and normal relations with the neighbouring country. He said India wanted to have normal relations with Pakistan and resolve all the bilateral issues, including Jammu and Kashmir, through dialogue.
Addressing a largely-attended election rally here today, the Prime Minister maintained that in view of the recent incidents in Mumbai it was clear that certain elements in Pakistan were involved in such attacks. He said India wanted good relations with Pakistan, but that would be possible only when the neighbouring country stopped its territory from being used against this country. “Our silence should not be misconstrued as our weakness”, he said.
The Prime Minister was accompanied by AICC general secretaries Union minister and JKPCC president Saifuddin Soz, former Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and Prithviraj Chavan, while the local Congress candidates were also present.
Manmohan Singh said he was always in favour of better relations with Pakistan. “We want to have normal relations”, he said, adding that all issues, including the Kashmir issue could be solved through dialogue. “We cannot change borders, but restrictions on the cross-LoC movement of people can be eased”, he commented.
He added that cross LoC links other than Srinagar-Muzaffarabad and Poonch-Rawlakote roads would be reopened. “There are great steps ahead”, he said, adding that the divided families on the either side of the LoC were meeting each other over the past few years.
The Prime Minister said the cross LoC trade would be
made more frequent and assured that more links for people-to-people contact and trade would be opened. The Prime Minister, however, cautioned that all this would be possible only when Pakistan checked the undesired terrorist activities against India from its territory.
The Prime Minister also asked the militants to shun the path of extremism, violence and bloodshed, as it gave no solution to any issue. He emphasised that all issues could be resolved only through talks, dialogue and other democratic ways. “If you vote the Congress to power” in the state, “Hum Jaan Lagakar Kaam Karengey”, the Prime Minister said. “Our effort will be to ensure that everybody has access to power, roads, drinking water and employment”, he commented and vowed to move ahead on the path of development speedily and honestly.
In his opening remarks, the Prime Minister congratulated belatedly the people of the state on the Id. He said his association with the people here had been “very special” and he was always happy to be among people here. He also hailed the people for their overwhelming participation in the ongoing Assembly polls saying it showed “your interest in the elections that you believe in democracy”.
He said the Congress could only be the way out, which could come up to their expectations in addressing the issues of employment, education, healthcare and better governance. He added that the state progressed a lot during the Congress governments and particularly during the past six years.
The Prime Minister pointed out that during the past three years of the Congress-led coalition government in particular, the state witnessed a lot of progress. In case of the Congress returning to power, the government would further expedite the pace of development, he added.
