Mehbooba calls for peace and development in state : The Tribune India

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Mehbooba calls for peace and development in state

SRINAGAR: Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today called for peace and development in Jammu and Kashmir, saying that the proxy war between India and Pakistan has led to abject poverty in the two neighbouring countries which have huge expenses on defence.

Mehbooba calls for peace and development in state

Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti takes oath as a member of the Assembly on Thursday. A Tribune Photo



Tribune News Service

Srinagar, June 30

Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today called for peace and development in Jammu and Kashmir, saying that the proxy war between India and Pakistan has led to abject poverty in the two neighbouring countries which have huge expenses on defence.

She said a large chunk of population, both in India and Pakistan, did not have access to basic amenities, like healthcare and education. “The budget spent by two countries on purchasing arms can easily be diverted to building social infrastructure, for the poor and disadvantaged if the two countries resolve their differences,” Mehbooba said.

Mehbooba Mufti was speaking on the concluding day of the Budget Session in the Assembly here today. She said the agenda of her government was to nudge the two nuclear-armed countries towards starting a meaningful dialogue on Jammu and Kashmir so that the three-decade period of violence in the state comes to an end and the region enters into a new era of peace and prosperity.

The Chief Minister said that a “fruitful dialogue” between India and Pakistan took place during Mufti Mohammad Sayeed’s first tenure as the Chief Minister after 2002 and lamented that no initiatives had been taken afterwards as there was little time available with Mufti earlier. She said a meaningful dialogue between India and Pakistan on Jammu and Kashmir was part of ‘Agenda of the Alliance’ of the coalition government which is a comprehensive document for resolution of all issues faced by the state. “If we want peace and prosperity in J&K and if India and Pakistan want to prosper, it will not happen by waging proxy or direct wars, or allegations and counter-allegations, it will happen if the two countries sit around a table and resolve their differences,” Mehbooba said.

Mehbooba, referring to her earlier remarks on the clergy, said it was the social and moral obligation of the religious scholars who issue sermons in mosques to inform and educate people about the social evils. “They are respected people, who can help in eradicating social evils, like corruption and drug menace among the youth”, she said.

Takes oath as Assembly member 

Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today took oath as a member of the Legislative Assembly. She had been elected to the Assembly for the fourth time on June 25 after winning the bypoll in the Anantnag constituency by a margin of more than 12,000 votes. The seat had fallen vacant on January 7 with the passing away of then Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed. Mehbooba had been sworn in as the first woman Chief Minister of the state on April 4. Assembly Speaker Kavinder Gupta administered the oath of office to Mehbooba at his chamber in the Assembly secretariat in Srinagar Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Abdul Rehman Veeri, Minister for Law Abdul Haq Khan, Deputy Speaker Nazir Gurezi and other legislators were present on the occasion. 

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