The Hindu : National : Involve people of all three regions to resolve Kashmir issue, says Mufti

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Sunday, Jun 26, 2005

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Involve people of all three regions to resolve Kashmir issue, says Mufti

Shujaat Bukhari

Chief Minister moots "self-rule" type of governance "Unless the people of all the three regions are taken into confidence there can be no acceptable solution. You cannot have a solution by talking to one party."

SRINAGAR: Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed on Saturday advocated a "self-rule" type of governance and sought the involvement of the people of all the three regions of Jammu and Kashmir in resolving the Kashmir issue.

At a one-day seminar, "Impact of turmoil on quality of life in Jammu and Kashmir" organised by the J&K regional chapter of the Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA), Mr. Sayeed regretted that people always had the impression that all the decisions related to them were taken outside. "But with the elections in 2002 they could feel a change and now they know that they can change their fate by exercising their franchise which will be respected," he said, adding that this did not mean that all the elections held since 1947 were a "fraud."

Mr. Sayeed said: "Unless the people of all the three regions are taken into confidence there can be no acceptable solution. You cannot have a solution by talking to one party."

Supports `self-rule'

Supporting the idea of "self-rule," the Chief Minister referred to the experiment of creating Autonomous Hill Development Councils in Leh and Kargil. "When we came to power we vested these councils with full powers and they are working nicely to the satisfaction of the people. There is no interference and there is minimal level of corruption," he said.

Gun has no role

Stressing the need to strengthen the democratic process for resolving any dispute, Mr. Sayeed said the "gun has no role now and democracy will prevail."

He asked militants to respect the aspirations of the people and their urge for peace.

"They (militants) should give peace a chance."

Bus service impediment

Mr. Sayeed said the unimaginable headway in the peace process has proved many people wrong.

Many people thought that the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus service was an impediment in the process but it has given it a fillip, he added.

The bus service was not aimed at diluting any "movement" but was a confidence-building measure. Mr. Sayeed said without changing their stated positions (on Kashmir) both India and Pakistan have moved ahead and "I think this process is undoubtedly irreversible."

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