PDP wants party units across the LoC

People's Democratic Party chief Mehbooba Mufti, whose party is advocating self rule in Kashmir, has demanded creation of an atmosphere across the Line of Control to facilitate opening of units of political parties on the two sides of Kashmir.

"For restoration of our rights, PDP is advocating self rule wherein we will have an elected Governor. We want such rights with the people where they can make and break governments in the state," she said.

Mufti said an atmosphere should be created across the LoC facilitating opening units of political parties of J&K in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir and vice versa and enabling flourishing of trade and tourism.

At the same time, she said her party would not compromise on the dignity and honour of the people of J&K while pursuing the demand for self-rule.

Addressing party workers in Khuiyal-Lolab in the frontier district of Kupwara Monday, she suggested exchange of legislators between the two parts of Kashmir.

"There must be an opportunity for legislators of the two assemblies to meet each other once in a year to put forth their viewpoint as problems of people across the Line of Control are similar," she said.

PDP wanted flourising of trade and tourism between the two sides of Kashmir for which softening of the borders was imperative, Mufti said.

There was also a need to intensify the traffic on the road links already opened between J&k and PoK so that common people could move easily besides members of divided families, she said.

Attacking the opposition National Conference, Mufti, who is a Lok Sabha MP, said the policies of that party had led the youth to take to arms and now it was demanding autonomy.

Terming unemployment as one of the major challenges facing J&K, she felt that un-utilised resources must be tapped to provide jobs.

The resources have not been utilised fully to the advantage of the youth resulting in the increase in the number of the unemployed in the state, she said.

Mufti said care needed to be taken of the unemployed youth in the budget and incentives and packages provided to them.

Since available resources could not be mobilised and the private sector could not take off in a big way in the state, it was but natural for the youth to look towards the government for jobs and avenues, the PDP leader said.

The coalition government, she said, was committed to providing all basic facilities to the people. "It is not a favour to the people but the duty of the government to address the problems of the people," she added.