India incomplete without JK: Mehbooba Mufti

Srinagar: Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti Saturday invoked former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee’s Lahore Declaration, pitching to bring permanent peace in Jammu and Kashmir.
According to KNS correspondent, speaking at 18th anniversary of PDP’s foundation day, she said that J&K is the crown of India. “J&K is the crown of India. India is incomplete without J&K but the issue of the state must be resolved,” she said.
She further said that Lahore declaration made by former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee should be adopted to bring the peace in Kashmir.
Mehbooba said that “you can’t kill an idea and you can’t jail an idea as the idea is always generating a better idea.”
She said that the people of Kashmir don’t have fear of Gypsys, Army and other related things as the threat of such things has been eliminated by the late Mufti Muhammad Sayeed by putting an end to Ikhwanis and Task force.
Chief Minister said that the challenge in the state is something else for which different routes should be opened.
Seeking “freedom” for Kashmiris, who she said “have been caged” by blocking of various routes, Mehbooba said, “Traditional roads between Jammu and Sialkot, Kargil and Skardu and Nowshera and Jhanger be opened rather than closing them.”
She said that the students from either parts of Kashmir should visit divided parts to see their tradition and lifestyle. “We should decide to nominate candidates from that part as well for the reserved seats in our assembly,” she added.
Mehbooba further said that ‘Charas and Ganja’ is being supplied to this part of Kashmir but despite that “We won’t allow closure of the road as we are in favour of opening more routes.”
“Like Mufti Sahab, I have been repeatedly seeking opening of these roads,” she said.
Quoting her father, Mehbooba said that Kashmiris have been caged. “Free Kashmiris,” he would say. “I will never forget that saying of my father,” she added.
She also appealed political parties including National Conference (NC), Congress, BJP and others to sit together and find a solution to the problems, which people of Kashmir are currently facing. “My appeal to NC, Congress, BJP, Communists and others is let’s sit together and resolve our issues,” Mehbooba said.
The Chief Minister appealed to her ministers to respect the workers of the party. (KNS)