Wait till Kashmir issue is resolved, PDP to 1947 refugees

Srinagar, May 12 (UNI) People's Democratic Party (PDP), a partner in the Congress led coalition government in Jammu and Kashmir today said the issue of granting Permanent Resident Rights (PRR) to 1947 West Pakistan refugees should be considered after resolving the Kashmir issue.

''We propose that this issue be considered with a solution to the larger problem reached between the concerned parties including India, Pakistan and the people of Jammu and Kashmir,'' Leader of PDP Legislature Party Abdul Aziz Zargar said in the All Party meeting held here today.

''In our opinion that will be the time when such legislation will find a greater consensus across all the regions of the State. That would also apply to the displaced persons of 1965 and 1971,'' he said.

In PDP's opinion the human angle of the refugee problem should force more pace into the peace process rather than stall it any way, Mr Zargar added.

''It is, therefore, necessary that we all, irrespective of which religion we belong to or on whatever side of the fence, we work single mindedly for the success of the peace process driven by the sentiments of the people of the state and led by the Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh,'' he said.

The PDP leader said he was a witness to the horrors of the partition, which by and large in the State, remained confined to one region only.

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