Govt welcomes Army chief’s statement
Time to build on this new discourse: Akhtar; suggestions of two chiefs need political backup: Tarigami
Jammu, Apr 16: Welcoming the Army chief General Bipin Rawat’s statement that gun was not a solution and neither the Army nor the militants would achieve their goals through it in Kashmir, the State government today said this is the pertinent expression of the overwhelming sentiment in Jammu and Kashmir.
“It is a welcome announcement coinciding with a similar assertion made by General Rawat’s Pakistani counterpart, General Qamar Javed Bajwa, and it is something the people of J&K, entangled in blood-spattered violence, have been longing for years,” Minister for Works and the State government spokesman Naeem Akhtar said today.
Akhtar said it has been the present coalition government’s persistent endeavor right from the beginning to see that the people of the state are pulled out of the quagmire of death and destruction.
“It is now for all the stakeholders, even those with differing political ideologies, to join this new moment of peace and reconciliation through emerging positive discourse,” he said.
Akhtar said that those trying to seek political objectives through gun must realize that when violence enters a discourse, it not only destroys the lives, but the social fabric, the economy, the culture and civilization of the same society that perpetuates it.
“Guns have not solved any problem or issue in the world and only dialogue and reconciliation is the way forward,” he said and added that there is a need to build on the Army chief’s statement and strengthen the process by initiating more political measures and engaging every section of the society in order to ensure sustainable peace in J&K,” he said.
“It is a welcome announcement coinciding with a similar assertion made by General Rawat’s Pakistani counterpart, General Qamar Javed Bajwa, and it is something the people of J&K, entangled in blood-spattered violence, have been longing for years.” – Naeem Akhtar
“It is a welcome announcement coinciding with a similar assertion made by General Rawat’s Pakistani counterpart, General Qamar Javed Bajwa, and it is something the people of J&K, entangled in blood-spattered violence, have been longing for years.” – Naeem Akhtar
Dignified peace through reconciliation, he said, was the only way to improve the situation in Kashmir that had been witnessing death and destruction for about three decades now.
Hailing the statements of Army chiefs of India and Pakistan, senior CPI(M) leader and MLA M Y Tarigami today said the leadership of both the countries need to show courage and initiate the dialogue process to resolve all outstanding issues, including Kashmir.
“It is high time that the political leadership of the two countries (India and Pakistan) engage in a meaningful, sustained and time-bound dialogue process…War and violence is not an option but can only result in massive devastation and destruction,” he said in a statement here.
Backing dialogue with India, Pakistan Army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa had on Saturday said, “It is our sincere belief that the route to peaceful resolution of Pak-India disputes — including the core issue of Kashmir — runs through comprehensive and meaningful dialogue. While such dialogue is no favour to any party, it remains the inevitable precursor to peace across the region.”
Indian Army chief General Bipin Rawat yesterday said “the radicalised youth of the Valley would soon realise that the gun was not the solution to their problems as neither security forces nor terrorists would achieve their goals through it.”
Peace, he said, was the only way to improve the situation in Kashmir that had been witnessing militancy for about three decades now.
Tarigami said only time will tell how sincere the political leadership in both the countries was to backup the suggestion of their military commanders.
“The suggestions of the two chiefs that dialogue was the way forward needs political backup and the coming time will tell how serious political leadership in both the countries will initiate the process of credible dialogue,” he said.
Ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) also hailed the statement of the two Army chiefs, terming the development a ray of hope for the end of insurmountable predicament of entire South Asia including Jammu and Kashmir.
“The suggestions of the two chiefs that dialogue was the way forward needs political backup and the coming time will tell how serious political leadership in both the countries will initiate the process of credible dialogue.” – Tarigami
“The suggestions of the two chiefs that dialogue was the way forward needs political backup and the coming time will tell how serious political leadership in both the countries will initiate the process of credible dialogue.” – Tarigami
PDP general secretary Mansoor Hussain Sohrawardhy in a statement here said that violence in its all forms is condemnable and need of the hour is to take positive steps towards reconciliation and for the sustainable peace and everlasting tranquility in the entire South Asia including Jammu and Kashmir.
“The undeniable fact is that the people of Jammu and Kashmir are bearing the brunt of the hostility between India and Pakistan since decades. The only way forward, as being pitched by the PDP since inception, is opening up the channels of dialogue to safeguard precious lives and plethora of resources of both the countries,” the statement said.
The PDP general secretary while lauding the statement of General Bipin Rawat said the most realistic approach in resolution of the pending issues is the result-oriented dialogue and sustainable efforts to catapult dream of peaceful Jammu and Kashmir into reality.
“The basic foundation of the PDP was laid upon the principle of restoration of peace and end of enmity between India and Pakistan. The party founder spent his entire life amid perpetual efforts to stop the guns of both the sides from roaring. Time is vindicating the earnest and consistent stand of the PDP towards everlasting, peaceful and honorable solution of the Kashmir conflict,” he said.
He added that the leadership of both India and Pakistan need to listen to what their Army chiefs have realized and extraordinary political sagacity and astuteness has to be displayed to finally actualize the dream of peaceful Jammu and Kashmir.
“Those at the helm must check the power tussles, ego clashes, and internecine conflicts, which have repeatedly debilitated the dialogue and reconciliation process. Irrespective of the party lines, the political groups need to rise above and play a constructive role in unison so that state’s present generation is saved from mayhem and bloodshed,” said Mansoor.
He said at the time when even the Army chiefs of both the countries have realized how futile the use of force is when it comes to resolution of the issues, both the countries should take immediate measures for the de-escalation of violence, opening of more routes, initiate talks with the stakeholders and ensure successful people-to-people contact on both the sides of the border and LoC.
“The leadership of both the countries must realize how long shall they now allow the state of Jammu and Kashmir to become the hub of violence, chaos and uncertainty and how long it would take their hearts to melt over the killings of the people of the state,” PDP general secretary said.
