Extend truce beyond borders in J and K: PDP

Kargil, Sept 25: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chief Mehbooba Mufti has called for complete cessation of hostilities in Jammu and Kashmir, saying the time has come to extend the ceasefire within the state to avoid further death and destruction.

Addressing public meetings at Panikhar and Sanku in this district, she said the people of Jammu and Kashmir were the biggest stakeholders in the India-Pakistan peace as it is a question of life and death for them.

Ms Mufti said the truce along the borders, holding successfully for the past three years, has breathed a new lease of life into the people in Ladakh region as they had to face the ravages of 1999 Kargil war and the frequent cross-border shelling.

Calling for complete cessation of hostilities, she urged all the warrings groups to declare a ceasefire to facilitate peaceful resolution of the Kashmir issue as has been committed in the Havana declaration by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf.

The PDP President said a historic opportunity was round the corner for peaceful resolution of the vexed Kashmir issue.

''If this chance is lost, our future generations will curse us for the same,'' he added.

UNI