"It was a dream come true for me," says Tariq Masud

Jammu, Apr 12 (UNI) The former cabinet secretary of Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) Tariq Masud, who originally hails from Jammu and shifted to Pakistan with his family in wake of 1947 violence in the city, said he has come to the soil where he was born and it was a dream come true for him.

Tariq Masud, who came here last evening with a 12 member PoK delegation headed by former Chief Justice of PoK High Court Justice Majid Malik to participate in a two day seminar, said he was happy to be here and would like to see the city and meet its people.

''I have come to the soil where I was born and it is a dream come true for me,'' he said during interaction with news persons.

A warm reception was accorded to the delegation by Centre for Dialouge and Reconcilitation (CDR) New Delhi, by the hosts, wherein Hurriyat leader Abdul Gani Bhat, veteran Journalist and writer Balraj Puri, Chairmamn Kashmir Times Group Ved Bashin, Mohammad Sayeed Malik and Professor Zahurudin were also present.

The delegates during their stay in Jammu will participate in discussions organised by CDR in the form of a seminar on the themes 'Peace process and the present reality','A dialogue process involving the people of J&K and 'Overcoming the obstacles.' Later the delegation will participate in similar kind of interaction in Srinagar too. The delegation also includes representatives from northern areas comprising Baltistan and Gilgit.

The delegation comprises Mr Tariq Masud, former cabinet secretary in the government of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Hafiz Hafeeq-ur-Rehman Khan, member Northern Areas Legislative Council, Gilgit and President Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz Sharief), Northern Areas, Qasim Nasum, editor weekly Siachin, Mohammed Sagir secretary Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front, Irshad Mahmud, Malik Mohammed Asgar, ex-president Bar Association, Kotli, Hamayuan Khan, former foreign secretary Pakistan, Bashir Ahmed Khan, chairman Municipal Comittee, Skardu Shakeel ud Din, vice chairman, Municipal Committee Wazir Walatat Ali from Skardu and Shahid Malik from Mirpur.

Another delegate Hafiz Hafeeq-ur-Rehman Khan delighted with the development in Jammu said ''It is important that the concerned quarters have realised the significance of people of the Northern Areas in the ongoing peace process''.

Raja Farooq Haidar, vice President Muslim Conference, Muzaffarabad, Lateef Akbar Vice President, Pakistan Peoples Party and Aruna Kamal, who were expected to come with the delegation, failed to come.

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