To end ceasefire violations, Cong bats for Indo-Pak talks

M Aamir Khan

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, March 1

Regretting that the Centre had ‘no foreign policy’, J&K Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) president GA Mir today said India and Pakistan should hold talks despite an increase in ceasefire violations.

“Ten times more ceasefire violations have taken place since 2014 till now as compared to the period between 1972 and 2014. It is clear that the Modi government has got no policy… our state suffers, our people die. Perhaps it is their policy to reduce the population of J&K. Any dispute that takes place anywhere in the world is to be resolved through dialogue. Even if a war is fought, talks are held later. The Congress has always been in favour of talks,” Mir told reporters here after a meeting at the party headquarters today.

He flayed the PDP-BJP coalition for not sticking to the Agenda of Alliance and its stand on talks.

“The PDP and the BJP are getting fully exposed. The central point of the Agenda of Alliance was to hold talks with all stakeholders including the Hurriyat? Why aren’t they taking it forward? What is the roadmap of the interlocutor? He is merely conducting tours and there are no meaningful talks,” Mir said.

“Mehbooba has herself written to the Centre that the situation is not conducive for parliament, panchayat and Urban Bodies elections… she has no right to stay in power,” he added.

On the issue of allegations of backdoor appointments by the PDP, Mir said: “Just a minor instance has come to the fore… they never followed the right procedure… earlier 10,000 Special Police Officers were appointed without following the right procedure. We have already raised the issue before the Governor thrice and warned that such steps will prove detrimental to the entire mainstream.”

Meanwhile, addressing workers during the party meeting, Mir held the PDP-BJP coalition responsible for deteriorating the situation in the Valley. He said due to the wrong policies of the coalition, people were passing through a ‘difficult situation and living in absolute fear’.