Srinagar: Defending Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s remarks about the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), his advisor Nasir Aslam Wani Thursday said they don’t want to break the agreement, but want that J&K should be compensated for the losses it suffered in past years.
Wani, without naming PDP, said those opposing the statement of the chief minister over the treaty, have brought a resolution in the Assembly to break the agreement.
“What CM Omar Abdullah has said, and what you have perceived from his speech, is different. Since the time of Sher-e-Kashmir Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, we are saying that both India and Pakistan have conceived a treaty, but we always voiced that the people of Jammu & Kashmir have been adversely affected with such agreements, and need to be compensated,” Wani told the media here.
“We have never called for undoing this agreement,” Wani clarified.
Hitting out at PDP, the CM’s advisor said those opposing this pact today, should introspect over their own actions. “They brought a resolution in J&K Assembly and sought breaking up this agreement. Unlike them, we are not saying to break it down, we are just seeking compensation for the losses people of J&K have suffered in these years,” Wani said.
PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday said, “J&K suffered losses because of the tension between India and Pakistan. The Indus Waters Treaty is the only treaty which has remained in place despite the wars and tension.”
She advised chief minister J&K Omar Abdulla that reopening settled issues would create tension and benefit the BJP.
India and Pakistan signed the treaty in 1960 after nine years of negotiations, with the World Bank being a signatory to the pact that sets out a mechanism for cooperation and information exchange between the two sides on the use of waters of a number of cross-border rivers in J&K and Punjab.
Omar Abdullah to launch dedicated public relations, outreach cell
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah will launch a dedicated public relations and outreach cell aimed at listening to and addressing the issues of the people, Nasir Aslam Wani, adviser to the chief minister informed Thursday.
The cell is being established at G-1, near Chief Minister’s residence in the Gupkar locality of the city here.
The cell will have a dedicated team of officers from the CM’s secretariat. It will coordinate with different departments to address the people’s issues.
“It was Omar’s desire to strengthen the relationship between his office and the people and have a place where they (people) can come conveniently and raise their issues. This place is very convenient and will be open for the public from Monday,” Wani said.
He said the cell will have full-fledged officers from the CM’s secretariat and his political secretary will be available so that there is a dedicated place for the people to voice their issues and grievances.
Wani said in his previous tenure, the chief minister used to have a CM’s grievance cell. The new cell will be a revamped one, he added.
“We have revamped the previous cell so that it is not limited to flagging the grievances only, but there is actual redressal of the issues of the people. This will work as the CM’s public relations-cum-outreach cell so that the problems faced by the people are heard and addressed,” he said.
Wani said the cell will be open for suggestions and advice as well, he said.
“People can come to interact and give their suggestions and advice for governance as this is their own government,” he added.
“This will bring the government closer to the public,” the CM’s adviser said.
He said the cell will be functional during office hours on a regular basis.
“The officers will remain available and the chief minister will also meet the public delegations himself and his availability will be notified for the public. We will also be here and a roster in this regard will be made public soon,” he said. (With inputs from PTI)
