Change 'Glacial mindset' towards J-K Mehbooba to Centre

Jammu, June 13 (UNI) Lok Sabha member and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Ms Mehbooba Mufti today claimed there was waning political will to resolve the Kashmir issue and asked the Union Government to change its ''glacial mindset'' towards Jammu and Kashmir.

Addressing a series of public meetings in the bordering Poonch district here, Ms Mufti said instead of being complacent in the new scenario, New Delhi must grab the opportunity and relax certain controls over Jammu and Kashmir to impact the ground situation.

''This essentially includes reassessing the role of the Armed Forces in the internal security and revocation of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA),'' she said, asserting that such measures are the fundamental input to accelerate and consolidate the peace process in the prevailing atmosphere.

Expressing dismay over the waning political will in carrying forward the ''pro-people'' initiatives, Ms Mufti said the situation seems to be fast slipping back with resurgent alienation replacing the public mood for reconciliation.

''The political leadership of the country must respond to this worrying situation with urgent and courageous remedial measures,'' the President of the major state coalition ally said, warning that any delay would only complicate the matters.

''The biggest tragedy for the ill-fated people of Jammu and Kashmir today is that various elements, ironically, some of them even within various establishments, have developed a vested interest in the violence and they are utilising all means to sabotage the peace process,'' she said.

''A strong political will in islamabad and New Delhi would be the only befitting rebuff to such elements,'' the PDP leader said.

UNI