UPA government miserably failed to solve J&K issue: Mufti

Srinagar: Accusing the Congress led UPA at the centre for failing to make any progress on the political dimension of Jammu and Kashmir over the last ten years; Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) patron, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed Thursday termed the forthcoming parliamentary elections as an opportunity for the people to elect those people who are sincere and able to push forward issues of people and motivate the parliament to get the state out of present muddle.
According to a statement issued to KNS, while the senior PDP leader, Molvi Iftikhar Hussain Ansari said the state is going through a difficult phase and the ruling government has held everything hostage to its inefficiency and ineptness to deliver and called upon the PDP cadres to strengthen the party at every level and work to ensure the win of the party candidates in the parliamentary polls.
Addressing senior party leaders, legislatures and workers of Srinagar parliamentary constituency at his official Gupkar residence, Mufti said the state is at the threshold of a change and the parliamentary polls will be a turning point to broaden the discourse about Kashmir issue at the national level, as the performance of the present MPs from the state have been disastrous to the extent as they have miserably failed to raise the issue in the parliament.
He said the fight of PDP is not with any individual or any ideology, but the party has its own agenda for the state and it will fight for the rights and political empowerment of the people, who are still being looked down upon with suspicion both in and outside the state. He said we have been choosing MPs but instead of working for the people and interests of the state in real sense, they choose to remain silent on crucial matters pertaining to J&K.
Mufti said this vote is not just to change the government or elect MPs but there is a growing need to build the prevailing trust deficit between the people of J&K and rest of the country and between India & Pakistan, and PDP will work to make any future government at the centre to endorse its agenda of political resolution and empowerment of people.
Coming down heavily on the UPA government at the Centre of which National Conference is part, Mufti questioned what kind of government it is which has not been able to address  the J&K issue over the last ten years and instead derailed the entire reconciliation process started by Atal Bihari Vajpayee. He said the hanging of Mohammad Afzal Guroo was the most unfortunate thing that could have happen in any democratic country and the Congress and NC went ahead with this without realising the sensitivities of the people of Kashmir.
He said a new beginning was made by the opening of Srinagar-Muzzafrabad road but the entire atmosphere of trust now in a reverse gear and could be threatened unless retrieved soon, as both NC led government in the state and UPA at the centre did not consolidate on the gains made by the PDP during its brief tenure in the government. He said there is an atmosphere of change both at the national as well as local level and the PDP will determinedly make any future political formation at the Centre to work on both internal and external dimensions of Kashmir issue.
Mufti said PDP is a disciplined party which has an independent agenda, an objective not only to bridge gaps between the different parts of the state, but between New Delhi and Kashmir and India and Pakistan, which the NC could not do over the last 60 years, besides taking votes from people. Mufti said Srinagar has suffered immensely over the last five years due to the insensitivity of the ruling coalition and it being the intellectual and political nerve centre of the state cannot remain aloof from the urge for change that is sweeping the state. He said active participation of Srinagar in the political process for change will add much desired cutting edge, credibility and prestige to it
Speaking on the occasion, the senior PDP leader, Molvi Iftikar Hussain Ansari said J&K is going through a difficult phase and the present government instead of making a positive impact on the ground, has held everything hostage to its inefficiency and ineptness to deliver. With the result, he said, the common man is suffering for basic amenities like power, water, ration etc. and exhorted the hope that people will now ensure that a new system, based on equality and justice, shall find its place to take the state forward on modern lines. Ansari said the state after witnessing distraction and political turmoil for many years had reposed its trust once again in democratic process and had repeatedly participated in elections to choose their representatives to various institutions like the parliament, state assembly, urban bodies and panchayats. He asked the party cadres to work in coordination in the forthcoming polls.
Meanwhile, the senior PDP leader and the party’s candidate for Srinagar parliamentary constituency, Tariq Hameed Karra said the change is inevitable on the ground and there is now chance for people to cast their votes in favour right candidates who can represent their aspirations in the highest democratic institution of the country. He said the present government has utterly failed on every front and instead of having resolved the problems of people it is insulting all of us as ‘Maha Chors’.
The senior party leader, Aga Syed Mahmood said there has been a complete freeze on development during the past five years as not a single project of significance was executed in Budgam constituency and in the recent expansion of administrative units the constituency has been left. He cautioned the party workers against the nefarious designs of the elements who are hell bent to divide the society. Calling for a change in the governance system, he asked the people to help PDP in establishing a new system in J&K, which is based on truth and honesty.
Other leaders include Javaid Mustafa Mir MLA, Dr Mohd Shafi MLA,Qazi Mohammad Afzal district president, Mohammad Ashraf Mir MLC & district President, Gh Nabi Lone Hanjura, Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari, Imran Ansari, Saifudin Bhat district president, Ab Hameed Kosheen, Mohammad Khurshid Alam, Muntazir Mohiudin, A R Kuchey, Asiea Naqash, Mrs Mian Sarwar, Anjum Fazilli, Bashir Ahmad Mir, Dr Nazir Ahmad Lone, Bashir Ahmad , Ab Qayoom and youth leaders Nazir Yatoo, Shuja Sarwar ,Mudasir Amin,Irfan Naqashbandi were also present and spoke on this occasion. (KNS)