Omar pins hope in Manmohan-Nawaz talks

SRINAGAR: Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah Saturday expressed the hope that the talks between Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh and Pak Premier, Nawaz Sharief would prove fruitful for addressing all pending issues between the two countries amicably across the table.
“Our eyes are presently at the summit room in New York where the two leaders will be talking”, he said and referred to various attempts made at derailing the dialogue. He said the recent terrorist attacks in Hira Nagar and Samba were aimed at disrupting Manmohan Singh-Nawaz meet in New York.
“We have observed that whenever the atmosphere for talks between the two countries is built and schedules are out in this regard, terrorist attacks or something most untoward is created to sabotage the talking process”, he said and showered praises over Dr. Manmohan Singh that despite pressure on him, he went ahead to talk to his counter-part at New York defeating the designs of peace inimical and anti-dialogue elements who always conspire and attempt to disrupt talks when the occasions of talks are created.
Omar Abdullah said that animosity between India and Pakistan has inflicted deep injuries and pain to the people of Jammu and Kashmir. “Thousands of our youth have lost their lives, Jhelum waters were blooded, every household bore the brunt of the gun, our economy got shattered and people became jobless. Now, if the people of Jammu and Kashmir cherish or friendship between India and Pakistan to live in peace and safeguard the future of our children, we are absolutely right”, he said and castigated those who want to sabotage dialogue. He said without naming BJP that the Prime Minister of this party extended hand of friendship to Gen. Musharraf from Srinagar when scores of people were falling victim to the bullets in the Valley.
Omar Abdullah said that when everyone globally believes and recognizes that the dialogue is the only way forward to find out solution to the issues, then all should contribute positively to facilitate the dialogue between India and Pakistan to resolve all political issues amicably. He said, though, these issues cannot be solved in a single meeting, yet, talking to each other would help to create a roadmap of carrying forward the meaningful dialogue to a logical conclusion.
Omar Abdullah was addressing at a function after laying foundations of Rs. 31 crore Parking Lot at Lal Chowk and Rs. 351 crore Jahangir Chowk-Natipora flyover at Rambagh here.
The Chief Minister listed the development projects launched by his Government in Srinagar during last more than four and a half years to give fillip to the development and economic activities. He said his Government has provided highest ever District Plans to Srinagar District as this District was starved for want of funds during the period of Opposition. He said the then Government which is in Opposition at present even tried to shift the Srinagar city to Parihaspora to avenge the Srinagar citizens for not supporting the said party (PDP). He said his Government is committed to make Srinagar a model city and an economic hub.
Omar Abdullah said that he had approved the most ambitious and huge Srinagar Flyover some two years earlier but he did not lay its foundation till today for the fact that he wanted to rehabilitate the shopkeepers and others getting affected by this project.
“We did not want to go in a hurry and snatch bread and butter earning capacity of the traders and shopkeepers coming under the project as was done in the case of expansion of Indira Gandhi Road”, he said and referred to a Shopping Mall constructed for the affected shopkeepers of Indira Gandhi Road at Haiderpora Chowk but none of these shopkeepers was provided shop there.
“I have given clear cut instructions to the ERA and JKPCC to first rehabilitate the shopkeepers and then move forward on the construction of the flyover project. It is for this reason delay has taken place and now the two Shopping Malls are almost complete at Rambagh and Exhibition Crossing for allotment to the affected shopkeepers”, he maintained and said that all the affected shopkeepers would be allotted shops in these complexes before dismantling their present trade units.