Mehbooba Mufti slams Pakistan for disregarding PM Narendra Modi gesture

Lashing out at Pakistan, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday said the neighbouring country has not responded to ceasefire and has instead killed five people on the borders.

"When we have halted operations, we expected (positive) response from Pakistan in view of the holy month of Ramzan. Till date there was no response and on top of it they killed our five civilians and BSF jawan on border," said Mehbooba while addressing people after PM Modi dedicated the 330 MW Kishanganga power project to the nation.

Thanking Modi for announcing unilateral halt on security operations during Ramzan, Mehbooba said it certainly is a big step which needed courage and Prime Minister has amply displayed that.

"Not only the political parties, every person in the State is grateful to you for putting the balms on their wounds. People of the state are ready to walk ten steps in response on the road to peace and getting them out of quagmire of violence," she said.

Mehbooba said the step taken by the Centre has raised hopes and faith of State's people in the statesmanship of the PM. "People here believe that it is he (Prime Minister) who took this bold step and it can only be him who has the strength to move on and take the people of Jammu and Kashmir out of the present situation," she said.

Chief Minister regretted that Pakistan has not responded to the repeated peace overtures made by New Delhi. "It has never happened in the history when Prime Minister of the big country goes to Pakistan. Earlier you invited them (Pakistan Prime Minister) for oath ceremony. Later, in 2016 when situation was very bad, union home minister visited Pakistan. But unfortunately there was no positive response," she said.

Mehbooba said the Agenda of Alliance (AoA) of the present government has emerged as a consensus political document in last 70 years to redress the issues and problems facing the state in a democratic way.

"When you (the Prime Minister) and late Mufti sahib drew a roadmap for the State, it gradually became a consensus political document to redress the issues facing Jammu and Kashmir. AoA has incorporated everything which it takes for redressing the issues of the people of the State. Be it rehabilitation of refugees, opening of cross LoC routes, dialogue, opening of Sharda Peth, compensation of Indus Water Treaty losses, it has everything in it," she said.