Mufti urges India-Pak to take bold initiatives to resolve Kashmir

New Delhi, Jan 11 (UNI) Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed has urged India and Pakistan to build upon the mutual trust and confidence and take bold initiatives towards the peaceful resolution of the Kashmir issue.

During his hour-long meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh late last evening, Mr Sayeed stressed on the need for strengthening the dialogue process-- internal as well as bilateral.

''The process has acquired popular legitimacy across the sub- continent. Gains of the peace process are immense for the whole region, just as the consequences of failure could be horrendous,'' he said.

The former Chief Minister said the past four years have witnessed political and developmental changes in Jammu and Kashmir.

''The march forward on the political front and the growing participation of the people in the democratic processes is of great significance," he said.

''Time has come to work through peaceful means and through public participation towards the resolution of the problem and restoration of permanent peace taking along the people from all the regions of the State," he said.

Mr Sayeed said the ''sense of siege'' that has gripped the people of the state in the wake of the partition will have to be addressed and their liberty to move across the traditional routes restored.

''The people of Jammu and Kashmir need to integrate with the global economy through open borders," he said.

Developing all-weather transport links between Jammu and Kashmir and rest of the country, connecting the divided parts of the State through the traditional cross-border and cross-LoC road links and initiating sub-regional integration cab facilitate peaceful resolution of the Kashmir problem, he said.

Regarding the immediate areas of concern in the State, Mr Sayeed said scarcity of infrastructure in the critical sectors of power, unemployment and security challenges need to be handled on priority basis.

''For infrastructure development and power shortage, the Government must take measures for the implementation of the recommendations of the Task Force headed by Mr Rangarajan, including transfer of Dulhasti Power project,'' he said.

He said besides accelerating work on the Central projects including Railways, upgrade of airports, four-laning of Srinagar-Jammu national highway and facilitating more external funding to the State, the Centre should also help the State to improve physical infrastructure and develop the human resource to engage the local youth in productive sectors.

UNI