PDP to make J&K a bridge between India, Pakistan if voted to power

Kargil: The Peoples' Democratic Party, if voted to power, will make Jammu and Kashmir a bridge between India and Pakistan by opening Kargil-Skardu road and starting a bus service on it, PDP patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed said on Saturday.

"PDP's vision of Jammu and Kashmir becoming a bridge between India and Pakistan contains the important feature of opening Kargil-Skardu road," Sayeed said while addressing an election rally.

He said the decision to reopen Kargil-Skardu road and starting a bus service on this route was taken by India and Pakistan many years ago, but no movement has taken place on the initiative, due to lack of follow-up.

"PDP would work for its implementation along with its engagement with the Union government to strengthen the cross LoC confidence building measures which have direct impact on places like Kargil and Drass which have immensely suffered the impact of hostility in the past," he said.

The former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister said the winds of change, blowing in the state, has crossed Zojilla pass and it looks that Kargil was ready to become part of political transition that the state was witnessing.

"National Conference and Congress reduced governance to plunder of state resources and neglected genuine needs of even those areas which had remained loyal to them inspite of their failures and repeated let downs," Sayeed said.

He said if voted to power, his government would bring the regions of Kargil and Leh on the economic and development mainstream.

He termed establishment of Hill Development Councils (HDC)in Leh and Kargil an ideal administrative response to the complex problems of the state, where people have to face hardships on account of topography, climate and distances.

"I am satisfied that in our brief tenure we could empower you to run your own government locally, But it is regrettable that NC-Congress government degenerated the functioning of HDC by in-fighting for power, positions and helping the favourites while ignoring the actual agenda of development," he said.

Attacking the former UPA government for its inability to carry forward the work on upgradation of Srinagar-Leh highway, Sayeed said Zojilla tunnel should have been ready by now, but it was restricted only to foundation stone laying two years ago without any follow up work.

He said the new government would make an effort to begin the construction work from Sonamarg and Drass ends. About the energy needs of Kargil, he said the Suru Hydel Project would be taken up in the sector and the functioning of Chutak project would be streamlined.