Need to reach out to stakeholders: Bukhari

Tribune News Service
Srinagar, January 23

Former Finance Minister Altaf Bukhari on Wednesday welcomed Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh’s assertion that India wants “cordial relationship” with Pakistan.

Bukhari said a “sustained engagement” between the two neighbours was the “only way out for a durable peace in the region”. In a statement issued here, he also said the need of the hour was to reach out to all stakeholders in J&Kto address the political aspirations of the state.

“While reaching out to Pakistan is a welcome step, the Central government must also address the internal dimension of the Kashmir issue by engaging all shades of political opinion in J&K,” he said.

Emphasising the need of extending some confidence-building measures for alleviation of trust deficit in Kashmir, the former PDP leader also cautioned that these steps should “not be used as a substitute” for the resolution of the political grievances.

“I wholeheartedly welcome Rajnathji’s statement made at the Attari joint check post in which he has desired an atmosphere of peace and mutual trust wherein the two neighbouring countries can live in peaceful co-existence,” Bukhari said.

He described Kashmir as a “festering” issue which has “bedevilled relations between India and Pakistan”. “It’s pending resolution has brought immense suffering and hardship to the people of the state,” he said.

“The unresolved political nature of the Kashmir issue has also been a major drain on the resources of the two countries and has been a stumbling block to normalising relations between them.”