India should resume dialogue with Pakistan: Mufti

SRINAGAR - Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and patron of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Mufti Muhammad Sayeed Thursday urged the Indian government to resume the composite peace dialogue with Pakistan.

“I say this very humbly to the prime minister that the government of India must change its mindset towards Kashmir. If we could talk to a military ruler, why can’t we talk to the democratically elected government in Pakistan?” Sayeed told a media conference here.

The PDP patron said any confrontation between India and Pakistan was not good for the people of Jammu and Kashmir. “Our party will launch a people’s campaign to create an atmosphere conducive for the resumption of the peace process between India and Pakistan.

“The days of cosmetic dialogue between India and Pakistan are over. Substantive talks for the resolution of the Kashmir problem must be held between the two neighbours now,” Sayeed asserted.

He also demanded the repeal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA).

“We are told there are only 300-400 militants still active in the state. Why can’t AFSPA be revoked then? The army chief has recently said any dilution of AFSPA would adversely impact the security situation in the state. We are hearing divergent views on this crucial subject,” he said.

Sayeed said during his government almost all political detainees had been released. “Today many separatist leaders, including Shabir Shah, are not released despite clear orders from the court,” he said.

“Even the courts are finding it difficult to act against the perpetrators of rights violations because of the continuation of AFSPA here,” he said.

The PDP patron supported the state government employees’ demand for payment of arrears as per the recommendations of the Sixth Pay Commission.

“Once the state government accepted to implement the recommendations of the sixth pay panel, there is no reason for withholding the payment of arrears to employees. It becomes discriminatory when viewed in the backdrop of payments of such arrears to the IAS and IPS officers here,” he said.

The former chief minister also said none of the recommendations of working groups set up on Kashmir by the prime minister had been implemented so far.

“Those recommendations are gathering dust. It is because of such developments that the alienation of people becomes deeper,” he maintained.