Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah has asserted that neither gun nor economic measures can solve the political issues faced by the state.
What is, however, needed rather imperative is initiating of comprehensive political dialogue to address these issues politically.
In his Independence Day eve message, the chief minister also said that both internal and external dimensions of Kashmir issue require equal attention and expressed optimism about the dialogue process restarted between India and Pakistan yielding tangible results.
“While discussing the major issues, the two countries will devote attention to resolve smaller issues like converting cross-LoC trade into normal trade from the present barter status, making visa regime easy and helping implementation of rehabilitation policy for Kashmiri youth in the forthcoming foreign ministers’ conference,” he said.
Turning to Kashmiri separatist leadership, he made a passionate appeal to it to take best advantage of current favourable political scenario and come on table to discuss its viewpoints with the government of India and contribute in seeking secure and bright future for the state and its people. “When they are ready to talk with one country there should be no reason for them not to talk with the other,” he said.
Listing elimination of violence, addressing unemployment crisis, curbing corruption and resolving the electricity deficiency in the state as four important concerns flagged in the policy planning of his government, the chief minister said that there has been visible improvement in peace situation since last over one-and-a-half years.