Mehbooba seeks cooperation of political leadership for peace

Seeking people's cooperation in shaping up a politically stable and economically emancipated Jammu and Kashmir, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today urged political leadership in the country to revive the peace and reconciliation process in the state through tangible Confidence Building Measures (CBMs).
"Perhaps more than ever before, people of Jammu and Kashmir today want the politicians to stand up and address the political and economic issues that matter to them and I urge the country's political leadership to make a fresh start to revive the peace and reconciliation process in the state through tangible CBMs," Mehbooba said while interacting with civil society representatives at Budgam in central Kashmir.

The Chief Minister called upon the country's political leadership to take measures to address the causes of alienation and trust deficit among people in Kashmir and work towards finding a lasting solution to the problems plaguing the state and its people.
"All shades of political opinion in the state and the country shall have to evolve a consensus on a pragmatic and workable solution to the problems confronting Jammu and Kashmir in the interest of peace and stability in the state," she said, adding, "the time has come to strike a new benchmark in light of the global and regional realities for the resolution of the state's problems".

She called for an end to the violent protests which have resulted in the "loss of precious human lives and grave injuries" and said "violence has neither served any purpose in the past, nor is it going to do so in future except bringing miseries to the people".
"It is tragic to note that the victims belong to the poorest of the poor families and it is the parents of these slain youth who shall have to live with this trauma forever. Having played politics over the dead bodies of the youth, nobody is going to come and give solace to these families after some time," she said.

Maintaining that her government is striving for a space of dignity and opportunity for the people of Jammu and Kashmir in a larger paradigm of peace and reconciliation in the region, Mehbooba said the political and developmental process and good governance have to go hand in hand to put the state back on track.
She said under the leadership of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, PDP came forward in 2002 to espouse the cause of dignified and peaceful resolution of the issues confronting the state at a time when there was despair all-round.