PDP asks India-Pak to end hostilities along LoC

In the first such event organised by a mainstream party in 25 years, Mufti said PDP wanted to send a message of peace to leaders of both countries

Opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) today took out a peace march here to press India and Pakistan to end hostilities along the Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB) in the state and start a dialogue process for resolution of Kashmir issue.

Thousands of PDP supporters led by party president Mehbooba Mufti and other leaders marched from Sher-e-Kashmir Municipal Park to Lal Chowk raising anti-war slogans and in favour of friendship between the two neighbouring countries.

"We want to tell leaders of India and Pakistan that Kashmiris do not want a war between them. The people want friendship between the two countries," the PDP president said drawing loud cheer from the 5,000-odd gathering.

Addressing the gathering at the historic Lal Chowk- the first such event organised by a mainstream party in almost 25 years, Mufti said her party wanted to send a message of peace to leaders of both the countries.

She said PDP wants Jammu and Kashmir to be a bridge between India and Pakistan and not "a war theatre".

"People of Jammu and Kashmir have suffered a lot over the past many decades. They want dialogue between the two countries so that Kashmir issue can be resolved peacefully," she said.

Without naming Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, the PDP chief hit out at him for talking of 'other options' at the peak of border hostilities.

"Kashmiris are not ready to fight your (National Conference's) war," Mufti said.

On October 21, the Chief Minister had said the Centre should explore other options if Pakistan continued ceasefire violations along the LoC and IB in the state.

Several other leaders including Muzaffar Hussain Beigh and Tariq Hamid Karra also addressed the rally.

This is for the first time since eruption of militancy in late 1988 that any mainstream political party has held a gathering of this magnitude at historic Lal Chowk.