Mufti appeals to defuse prevailing situation in J

Srinagar, Aug 5 (UNI) Cautioning that the regional and communal polarisation has started assuming dangerous dimensions, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayed today appealed to all political parties and groups to come forward and help in defusing the situation that has now started threatening the state's integrity.

The PDP patron during his hour-long meeting with Governor N N Vohra at Raj Bhavan here discussed the prevailing situation in the state.

He said the tremendous gains on the political and developmental fronts, made between 2002 and 2005, had started evaporating and regional and religious gulf was widening fast to the detriment of the state's interests.

Urging the people, both in Jammu region and Kashmir valley, to restrain and do not push the situation beyond a point of no return, Mr Sayeed made a passionate plea to the people in both the regions to not allow the vested interests to exploit the situation.

He said the political parties and the civil society in both the regions must come forward and help the government in defusing the situation and restore the environment of amity and harmony among the people in different regions of the state.

Mr Sayeed deliberated in detail on the political and security aspects of the prevailing situation and offered his party's full support and cooperation in bringing the situation back to normal.

He expressed grave concern over the slide in the normalisation process that was initiated in 2002 and called for immediate confidence building measures to prevent further deterioration of the situation.

He assured the Governor that his party would support any such endeavor that would help resolve the crisis amicably with the interests of all the regions intact.

UNI BAS SW BST1618