Jammu, April 9
The PDP leader, Mufti Sayeed, today said that the ongoing political uncertainty in Jammu and Kashmir had badly hit the economic development of the state.

Addressing a public meeting at Vijaypur near here, he said peace and political stability were imperative to make people reap the benefits of globalisation and economic liberalisation.

He said the main cause of the region's economic deprivation and hostility was the Kashmir issue which had affected not only India and Pakistan, but the entire state. Sounding optimistic about the permanent settlement of the issue, he asserted that the positive developments which had unfolded in the past four years through the Indo-Pak peace process and various confidence-building measures (CBMs) had opened a window of momentous opportunity for the amicable resolution of the issue. "I am confident that Jammu & Kashmir will soon usher in an environment of peace and prosperity with a wonderful and progressive future for our coming generations, who have, otherwise, been at the receiving end of the uncertain situation" he said.

He emphasised that any solution to the Kashmir issue must address the basic grievances of people of all regions of the state by fully ensuring their participation in the process of governance and in running the day-to-day affairs. This, he said, was the basic premise of his party's self-rule proposal which envisioned, not only political but also the economic empowerment of the state's people. "The greatest satisfaction for the PDP workers is that the party has played a significant though modest role in shaping up a new future for the state and the region," he said.

The Mufti said given its strategic location, Jammu & Kashmir could not only become a hub, but a gateway for economic cooperation in the Saarc region as it had access to most of the neighboring countries through land routes.

"While opening of the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad, Poonch-Rawalakote and Kargil-Skardu roads is a historic step in this direction, the Jammu region must also get cross-border connectivity through the Suchetgarh-Sialkote road to facilitate the free movement of people and goods in the area. He said the ceasefire successfully holding along the borders for the past four years, had given much needed relief to the people in these areas, and the two countries must work towards creating conditions for similar measures in the plains so that people there also see the change and live in peace and normalcy.a Senior PDP leader, Muzaffar Hussain Baig said the PDP had a clear agenda for the welfare and betterment of the state and its people, and the party had pursued the same with consistency in the past four years of its participation in the coalition government. He said given its pro-people policies and programmes, the PDP was emerging as a strong political movement across the State and people in all the regions have realised that it is the only party with an agenda for them.

Jammu, April 9
Panun Kashmir, a body of the migrated Kashmiri Pandits, today submitted a demand charter to the Jammu and Kashmir government asking for "key amendments" in the proposed J&K Shrines and Religious places of Kashmiri Hindus Bill.

The Panun Kashmir has impressed upon the state government that a survey of all temples whether or not possessing revenue generating properties be brought under the supervision of a surveyor general who should be a retired Kashmiri Hindu IAS officer of the J&K cadre.

In its second demand, the organisation demanded that the composition of the first governing board to manage the shrines be made by only the state's Governor which should primarily include a retired Kashmiri Hindu IAS officer, a Kashmiri Hindu social activist, a Kashmiri Hindu dharmacharya and representatives of the existing “prabandhak committees” across the Kashmir division.

Informing this at a press conference here, Panun Kashmir president Prof. B. L. Fotedar said the bill was silent on the process and methodology of elections to the committees and the governing board. "We have suggested that the principle of universal adult franchise should be kept in mind and elections should not be held before making a proper voter list," Fotedar said.

He said the government had also been asked that funds accruing from the Kashmiri Hindu temples be exclusively used for the preservation, development and management of the shrines in the Kashmir division and on the institutions that have Hindu minority control in the state.

"The Hindu religious places in Kashmir are not simply prayer houses but icons of religious tolerance, communal amity and universal brotherhood in the religio-cultural ethos of Kashmir and, thus, it becomes imperative that these symbols of heritage are maintained and preserved through a mechanism that is transparent and just," he said.

Srinagar, April 9
The PDP president, Mehbooba Mufti, has said her party’s agenda for a just and dignified resolution of the Kashmir issue is gaining strength "through a meaningful and constructive process" which will address the aspirations of its people and bring long-lasting peace in the region.

Addressing a public meeting in the Tangmarg area of north Kashmir yesterday, Ms Mufti said the PDP was pursuing its agenda of encouraging the process of dialogue and reconciliation to translate its philosophy of "healing touch" into concrete measures for the general relief and betterment of the people. She hoped both India and Pakistan would realise the historic opportunity and resolve the Kashmir issue for the larger welfare of the region’s people.

She lamented the approach of different political parties toward the PDP and pointed out that the National Conference was playing the "most intriguing role".

Blaming the NC for "manipulative and exploitative tactics to grab power", Ms Mufti said it was again trying to take recourse to same tactics to befool the masses. She held that on the crucial issues like the imposition of POTA, review of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), the withdrawal of troops or relief in security, the NC had always spoken different languages in Srinagar, Jammu and Delhi.

"The party is yet to make its stand clear on these issues as it has lost track with the ground realities and is still banking on Delhi to grab power," she said blaming the NC for "brazen rigging of the 1987 election". "They also perhaps do not remember that it was during their rule that POTA was implemented in the state and when the PDP came to power in October 2002, the first thing it did was to remove POTA", she said.