PoK lacks democracy: Mehbooba

Jammu, Jan 27 (UNI) Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) today advocated self-rule for Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK), which ''lacks a democratic set-up like the one in Jammu and Kashmir.'' Supporting Governor Lt Gen (Retd) S K Sinha, who sought self-rule for PoK in his Republic Day address, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti said: ''They (people of PoK) don't have democratic rights, which we (people of J and K) enjoy.'' Talking to reporters at her residence, Ms Mufti said, ''A committee, comprising legislators from either side of the Line of Control (LoC), should be constituted to look into all issues of the separated region.'' She stressed on people's participation in the peace talks through their elected representatives. ''The legislators of both the sides should be included in the ongoing peace dialogue as they are well-versed with the ground realities.'' She proposed that currency from both India and Pakistan should be made acceptable in the region to avoid inconvenience to the people and enhance exchanges between them.

Asserting that the 2002 assembly elections in the state were ''free and fair'', the PDP chief urged Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf to convince the militant leadership to announce a unilateral ceasefire.

''Time has come for the guns to fall silent,''the PDP president said and urged both New Delhi and the Pakistan-backed militants to settle for a ceasefire, ''at least for sometime''.

''Let's give peace a chance,'' Ms Mufti appealed, and hailed the change in the approach of the separatist All Party Hurriyat Conference.

UNI