Strikes hit J&K economy, political solution must: Omar Abdullah

Frequent strikes were hurting the economy of Jammu and Kashmir and all stakeholders, including separatists, should realise their responsibility towards the society and find a political solution to the issue, chief minister Omar Abdullah said today.

Lockouts and hartals only lead to a retrograde effect on all fronts, he said adding that the "stakeholders of peace in Jammu and Kashmir, including separatists, should realise their responsibility and role towards society and political issues.

"Those who think that continuous hartals and disturbances will pave the way for any solution of the problems are in a make-belief world," he said adding, such tactics only affect the "education of students and the economy of the poor without yielding any results".

Omar said that dialogue is the only way forward to find out a solution to the problems and this platform is available to every shade of opinion to put forth his viewpoint across the table in a amicable and peaceful manner.

He was speaking at his first 'Awami-Mulakat' (meet the people) programme.

Omar had recently announced that he will hold meetings with the general public at the sub-division level and began today with Kangan, an assembly constituency which sees the highest voter turnout but is notorious for being a transit area for the terrorists coming from north Kashmir to central and southern parts of the Valley.

Omar said he represents the people of Jammu and Kashmir in New Delhi and advocates their cause at all forums. "I am not a person who speaks one language in Delhi and another at Srinagar. I am firm on my political and economic commitments to the people," he said.

The chief minister said that his government raised the issue of AFSPA and vehemently advocated its amendment and gradual removal with the improvement in the situation. "Only in my regime, a commandant of the BSF was arrested and handed over to police for alleged human rights violation," he added.

Referring to the inauguration of railway link at Qazigund last year, the chief minister said, "I was categoric in making it clear in front of the prime minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi that Kashmir is not an economic issue but a political one and needs addressing politically.

"I have reiterated the same time and again at various national forums including National Development Council (NDC) meeting recently," he said and added that he will continue to stress on it.     

On the Jammu and Kashmir-centric confidence building measures (CBMs), Omar strongly advocated communication and banking facilities between the traders across Line of Control to strengthen and expand the trade links.

He also stressed on enhancing the people-to-people contacts at various levels. "The travel should not be restricted to the members of the separated families only but it should be open to all people living on either sides of the LoC," he said.

Highlighting the need for sustained dialogue on the internal and external fronts, the chief minister said that whenever the external dialogue between India and Pakistan seemed to have moved forward in a positive direction and resolution appeared in sight, unfortunate events derailed the whole process.

He cited the example of the Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah-Ayub Khan talks at Pakistan when it had to be called off due to death of the then prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru.

"A similar incident happened when Lal Bahadur Shashtri breathed his last while talking with the Pakistan president at Tashkent," he said and also referred to Kargil war and 26/11 Mumbai attacks which derailed the dialogue process. " Let us all pray that the present parleys between the two neighbours move forward positively yielding befitting results," he added.

The chief minister also agreed to the suggestions of citizens and representatives of social and political groups here for making Sonamarg a round-the-year tourist destination.

He sought public support in curbing corruption, adding that "corrupt practices by some unscrupulous elements eat up the vitals of development and deny the poor their right in the process of progress."

Later, he laid the foundation of a bridge at Yachhama to be built at an estimated cost of Rs4.50 crore. The 70-metre long bridge on Sindh Nallah on completion will benefit about 12000 people of six villages. He directed the executing agency to complete it within the prescribed time-frame.