Self-rule should be settlement not arrangement: Mehbooba

Srinagar, Aug 16 (UNI) Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) President Mehbooba Mufti today welcomed Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's Independence Day speech in which he called for exploring new pathways to build a peaceful future for strife-torn Jammu and Kashmir.

In a statement here, she said a new beginning had to be made somewhere to explore a "workable and sustainable" mechanism for the resolution of the Kashmir issue impeding the economic prosperity of the sub-continent for the past six decades.

Reiterating that traditional means have failed to help resolve the issue and restore sustainable peace in the region, Ms Mufti said any resolution to Kashmir could be workable only when the state's geo-strategic and historic position was taken into consideration.

Given its location, she said, the state has a vital geo-strategic position in the sub-continent and hence could play a great role in the economic prosperity of the region through free trade.

Describing the self-rule proposal as an ideal formula for resolution of the Kashmir issue, the PDP Chief said it would not only fulfill the aspirations of all the three regions of the state, but applicable to other part of the Kashmir as well to develop Pakistan's stakes in the peace process.

She said through the instrument of accession in 1947, Jammu and Kashmir was provided with best self-rule model. Even former Prime Minister Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru had said, ''Jammu and Kashmir is going to be a window for the whole world to gaze at,'' she added.

However, Ms Mufti said in the absence of any adequate guarantees, that self-rule model faced severe erosion over the years leading to steady disillusionment and alienation of the people and resulting in the political unrest.

The self-rule proposal if implemented could not only pave the way for an amicable resolution of the Kashmir issue, but it will be acceptable to all the parties concerned, she added.

The PDP President said self-rule formulae would be fruitful only if India and Pakistan guarantees it in areas under their control.

This should be a permanent settlement of the problem instead of an arrangement to make it sustainable, Ms Mufti added.

She said to catch up with fast growing global economies, it would be in the interest of both the neighbouring countries to avail the opportunity of settling the problems plaguing their growth so that the people reap benefits of trade and economic activity in the region.

UNI AG KD BD1921