Advocating for de-escalation of border tension between India and Pakistan, former Chief Minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed said that isolated incidents despite being highly provocative should not be allowed to derail the peace process.
He said that people in Pakistan have offered mandate to Nawaz Sharif on his promise to reconcile with India.“The alarmingly developing situation (along the loC) highlights need for a permanent resolution of the Jammu & Kashmir issue,” Mufti, who is patron of Opposition People’s Democratic Party said at a Press conference here.
“The Union Government cannot overlook the misery, pain and dislocation that the people of the state have to bear every time peace is shattered along the borders,” he said.
“The rising tensions along the lOC and some points on the international border with Pakistan have caused a deep worry in our state. From Kargil to Kathua there have been incidents of serious nature threatening the decade long ceasefire between the two countries which have rarely seen such a long thaw in there relations. The ceasefire had in the past survived even grave provocations like the Mumbai atrocities but it now looks like falling apart under the impact of unfortunate killings and the attendant rhetoric unleashed by some hawkish elements,” he said. “There are reports of dislocation of civilian population from some forward areas especially in Poonch and Rajouri districts”, he said.
lauding the Musharraf-Vajpayee peace initiative Mufti said that the border residents had heaved a sigh of relief since 2003 but now the feeling of dislocation and fear has returned to haunt them.