Srinagar, Apr 19: Hurriyat-M chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Friday said the suspension of cross-LoC trade via Salamabad and Chakan-da-Bagh routes will come at a huge price for the people of Kashmir.
“Extremely unfortunate that GoI (government of India) instead of enhancing people to people contact as families of both side of LoC stand divided & improving trade & other ties, even whatever little had been achieved since (former PM Atal Bihari) Vajpayee time is being blocked & stopped.
“Such measures for short term gains come at a huge price for people” Mirwaiz tweeted.
Meanwhile, addressing the Friday congregation at Srinagar’s Jama Masjid today, Mirwaiz said that people “mostly staying away from the electoral process is a peacefully conveyed clear message to Government of India that people here want a serious political initiative towards the resolution of lingering Kashmir issue and that the people and the leadership will support all initiatives that are aimed at addressing it.”
Mirwaiz said that he has time and again reiterated that the Kashmir issue deserves serious political handling but all the successive regimes that ruled India and Pakistan so far have failed to resolve it.
He said that the people of Kashmir are facing tremendous hardships since past 70 years in general and 30 years, in particular, hoping that some serious efforts would be made to resolve the issues so that peace prevails in the region.
“It’s not that people of Kashmir don’t believe in democratic practices that electoral processes entail or don’t believe in its empowerment, but people want to understand to what end do they participate? Has it in any way changed anything on ground for them? Has it helped in ending the uncertainty in our lives? Has our true situation ever been conveyed to people in India or any effort made in that direction?” he asked.
Mirwaiz also talked about highway closure, daily Internet bans, warnings to government employees, crackdown on political and religious organizations and the “use of NIA to harass and intimidate Kashmiris”. Every other day summons are sent to people from different segments of society, he said.
He said these harsh measures will not wish away the reality of the problem and the urgent need for its resolution. “GoI has, at the end of the day, talk with Pakistan and Kashmiris and once for all settle the issue,” he said.
