GoI avoiding to address K-issue: Mufti

Srinagar: Opposition Peoples Democratic Party patron and former chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed Tuesday said that Government of India was “avoiding” addressing Kashmir issue while questioning outcome of the interlocutors appointed to find amicable solution to the vexed problem.“Until aspirations of people are not addressed, the solution will elude Kashmir issue and I believe government of India is avoiding doing so. Interlocutors were appointed but what happened?” Mufti told reporters on sidelines of a function at Seer Hamdan in Anantnag district in south Kashmir. “I believe that within the constitution of India we have the right to agitate for it and presently we are mobilizing the people,” he added as per a correspondent present on the occasion. Earlier, he urged New Delhi to speed up further expansion of trade and travel across LOC while regretting that the “major breakthrough” to lift the siege around Jammu and Kashmir has suffered for lack of follow-upAddressing public meeting, he said the opening of Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road had settled a major principle in determining the future of J&K and ultimate virtual unification. “But unfortunately the government that came into being in 2009 reversed the entire process as a result of a combination of many factors like inefficiency, lack of direction, will and political vendata,” he said. Mufti said though it was a small beginning, the Karwan-e-Aman Bus service started between Srinagar and Muzaffarabad had the potential of growing into a process of reconciliation and resolution as it had been envisaged to ultimately lead to virtual unification of the two parts of erstwhile state. “Trade and commerce along this route would have opened up new avenues of growth for both parts. Howover, it seems the present government tried to kill it with a purpose,” he said.Mufti alleged that many initiatives taken by previous PDP- Congress government had been deliberately scuttled by the present regime. The beautification drive of river Jehlum for instance had to be extended to entire city and all the towns situated on the banks of this historic life line of Kashmir, he said. “Although a small patch in Srinagar is now the best river front anywere in the country, the project was suddenly stopped.” Similarly, he said the beautification and utilization of Eidgah in Srinagar was shelved with the result that even its fencing was now falling apart.Referring to the development of tourism infrastructure in places like Pahalgam and Gulmarg, Mufti said that these had been completely abandoned. The pahalgam club and convention complex could have added tremendous value to Pahalgam but for strange reasons the work has been stopped. He said Kashmir, Jammu and Ladakh are a huge tourism product which can be converted into a high end destination with proper infrastructure but the development process started through various development authorities have been to a virtual halt.Referring to the continued harassment of youth, Mufti said that present government had victimized a whole generation of youngsters to create an unreal surface calm. He said while the people had given a peace yet another chance, which helped revival of tourism and business, the government had failed in learning from its failure. “More than 5000 boys have been framed in false cases while hundreds are in jails. This is a huge price being paid by people for government’s inefficiency and inability to create confidence among the people or contact levels with them other than through police and security forces,” he said.