Pro-India politicians, separatists in
Indian-controlled Kashmir welcome Nawaz
Sharif's victory
(Xinhua) 19:09,
May 13, SRINAGAR, Indian-controlled Kashmir, May 13 (Xinhua) -- The pro- India
political parties as well as separatists in Indian- controlled Kashmir Monday
welcomed Nawaz Sharif's victory in Pakistan general elections and expressed
hope that Islamabad and New Delhi would restart a process of dialogue on
Kashmir. "I want to congratulate Nawaz Sharif
on behalf of my party and the people of Jammu and Kashmir
for his brilliant victory in the general elections in Pakistan," said Omar Abdullah
while addressing a public rally at a Pattan village. "We hope and
pray that the change of guard in Pakistan
will pave way for good relations between India
and Pakistan."
Former
prime minister and head of the Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) Nawaz Sharif is
all set to head the government following his landslide victory in Pakistan's
elections. Nawaz had previously run the country during two terms prior to his
removal by military chief Pervez Musharraf in 1999 military coup after he
attempted to remove Musharraf as he returned from Sri Lanka. The Indian-controlled
Kashmir Indian Congress party chief Saiffudin Soz said Pakistan elections had finally been
completed successfully instead of threats by the extremists."It is a welcome situation and now that the people
of Pakistan have elected a
government with majority, the country will not remain a fragile polity,"
Soz said.Congrerss party and National Conference are running a ruling coalition
in Indian-controlled Kashmir.
The
region's main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) patron Mufti Mohammad
Sayeed has expressed hope that establishment of a stable government in Pakistan
would help pick up the threads of peace process once again. "The
democratically elected stable government in Pakistan
was a critical element in carrying forward peace process and Jammu and Kashmir has major stake in its
revival," said Sayeed. With 63-year-old Nawaz Sharif all set to return to
power for the record third time, the separatist leadership of Indian-
controlled Kashmir want him to take up the Kashmir issue on priority basis.
"Support for the right to self-determination of Kashmiris was national
policy of Pakistan
and Sharif should keep his support at that level," said hardliner Hurriyat
(freedom) Conference leader Syed Ali Geelani. "Pakistan
is a party to Kashmir issue and they know well
what their policy is and should support that," Geelani said.
Sharif's
government will be facing challenges including growing extremism, energy
crisis, economic crisis and uneasy relations with the United States ahead of the withdrawal of the
NATO forces from Afghanistan. "Sharif had promised that he will evolve
a mechanism to ensure the active involvement of people of the State as
principal party to Kashmir issue,"
Mirwaiz told media.
Jammu
Kashmir Liberation Front Chairman Muhammad Yasin Malik while congratulating
Sharif said that he and his government should not put Kashmir
issue on the back burner. "We expect from Sharif and his government that they
will work for Kashmir resolution on priority
basis. He should ensure active involvement of people of the State as a
principal party in the process of negotiations and also try to evolve a
consensus on Kashmir between various political and religious parties of Pakistan,"
Malik said. Kashmir, the Himalayan region divided between India and Pakistan is claimed by both in
full. Since their Independence from British, the
two countries have fought three wars, two exclusively over Kashmir.
Source: http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90777/8242585.html
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