Terming peace imperative for taking Jammu & Kashmir out of uncertainties, Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti today appealed people to maintain peace so that she can take her agenda of dialogue and reconciliation to higher levels of fulfillment.Addressing a largely attended public meeting here after laying foundation of some key developmental projects in the area, the Chief Minister appealed people to play their role in maintaining peace so that the process of dialogue and reconciliation is carried forward, more routes across LoC in the State are opened and people on the both sides of the divide march together on the path of growth and progress. “Give me peace. I will purse dialogue, opening of routes like Kargil-Skardu, Jammu-Sialkote, Nowshehra-Jhangar etc. If there is peace I wish people on both sides would march together on the path of growth and development”, she said while addressing the gathering.Mehbooba Mufti said all along the agenda of her Government has been to take people of the State out of the mess of violence, initiation of consultative process in the State to sort out issues and develop Jammu & Kashmir as a modern State of the country. Some movement on this agenda has been made, she said, and many decisions of huge public welfare like withdrawal of cases against around 10 thousand youth, regularization of 61 thousand daily wagers, a massive economic and reconstruction plan etc were initiated by her Government during the last three years.
The Chief Minister said the situation across the borders in the State is not encouraging with deaths and destruction being reported so frequently that there is a demand for construction of bunkers from the villagers. “This is unfortunate. In 21st century when they should be demanding better schools, good hospitals and efficient services they are asking for bunkers to protect themselves”, she said adding the people of the State continue to bear the brunt of partition and acrimony between India and Pakistan.Mehbooba Mufti said she is pained to see that a common citizen of the State is the ultimate victim of this whole scenario of uncertainty, violence and acrimony. “It’s the people of the State alone whole get killed, their businesses suffered, education affected and what not”, she said adding that recently when she went to Ajmer to pay obeisance at the Dargah of Hazrat Khawaj Moin ud Din Chishti(R.A.) she met an officer there who was all praise for the talent and intelligence of youth from the State. “Alas, she said, they(the youth) are imposing a self afflicting pain upon themselves which hurts them only and nobody else”, she remarked in an emotional tone.Appealing youth to desist from going on the path of violence, the Chief Minister said world is witness to the fact that violence has not resolved any issues rather it gives birth to many more. Resorting to more violence, she reminded, leads to a response which ultimately leaves behind scars only.Minister for Public Works, Naeem Akhtar; Minister for Food Civil Supplies & Public Distribution, Choudhary Zulfkar; Member Parliament, Nazir Ahmad Laway; former Deputy Speaker and Vice President, PDP, Muhammad Sartaj Madni and other leaders also addressed the public meeting and appealed people to strengthen the hands of Chief Minister in her effort to take the State out of the quagmire of violence and uncertainty.