The Opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) patron, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed on Thursday said the SAARC can realise its full potential only if pestering issues between India and Pakistan are settled amicably to pave the way, not only for enduring peace and stability in the region but broader economic cooperation between South Asian countries as well.
“SAARC leadership has to recognise the fact that the forum couldn’t take off effectively since its inception in 1985 because of the unresolved issues between India and Pakistan including the Kashmir issue,” Mufti said while addressing election rallies at Kulgam, Homshalibugh and Anantnag Assembly segments here.
Mufti said the current elections offer a historic opportunity to people of the State to send a strong message to the national leadership about their urge for peace and reconciliation between the two countries which could facilitate resolution and enduring peace. “A strong and inclusive mandate to the PDP would enable it to channelise this urge effectively and revive the initiatives of 2003,” he said.
Mufti said it is not only if issues between India and Pakistan are resolved, SAARC can realise its full potential of ensuring larger economic cooperation in the region as and when Kashmir is settled amicably. “In another way the forum can provide a space for the resolution of issues between India and Pakistan including Kashmir,” he said and added the political aspect of the issues between India and Pakistan would be easier to address if the economic space created in SAARC paradigm is ensured for a potentially rich place like Jammu & Kashmir.
“It is time that Jammu & Kashmir is brought out of the troubles that are not of its own making and its connectivity with the rest of the world is restored through traditional routes," he said and added that the fast-changing equations in Jammu & Kashmir provide the country's leadership not just a challenge but an opportunity as well to take a giant step towards making India at peace not only with its neighbours but with itself as well.
Mufti said the pain of the people in Jammu & Kashmir has reached a level where the hope of peace is sure to gain substantial local support.
"The encouraging participation of people in the ongoing polls should not be misconstrued as the problem having disappeared without addressing it," he said and added that the renewed trust people of the State have reposed in the democratic institutions, offers a fresh opportunity to work through peaceful and re-conciliatory means towards addressing all the dimensions of the Kashmir issue in a manner that balances and promotes enduring political and economic stability in the State and the region.