The National Conference (NC) Tuesday called upon India and Pakistan to restart a sustained and uninterrupted dialogue process to find solution to all issues, including Kashmir, and also asked the Centre to immediately take steps to restore a sense of security in the state.
"Cancellation of the meeting between the foreign ministers of India and Pakistan scheduled for this week in New York City is extremely unfortunate. The NC's central working committee (CWC) unanimously resolved that India and Pakistan must restart a sustained and uninterrupted dialogue process to find a solution to all disputes, including the Kashmir problem," a resolution adopted by the party in its CWC meeting said.
The NC said the party is of the firm opinion that continuation of the dialogue between the two countries is the only way available to settle all disputes and is also in the larger interest of people of the sub-continent.
The party said it stands for the unity, integrity and the special status of and would continue to strive to defend its secular character.
"We further resolve that the NC shall continue to work in this direction and vehemently defeat the nefarious designs of the forces who are hell- bent on weakening the secular credentials of the state of Jammu and Kashmir," another resolution adopted by the party's CWC said.
Claiming that there was no sense of security on the ground, the party said after 2014, there has been a "marked and worrisome deterioration" in the security scenario across the state.
"The sanctity of life in the state, whether it is in the number of educated employed youngsters who have taken up arms or the families of police personnel and civilians who are being targeted has been greatly eroded. The root cause of the alienation and anger that has been visible since 2014 is the opportunistic alliance of the PDP with the BJP. It was a betrayal of the mandate of the people who voted in the 2014 Assembly elections," another resolution said.
"In such an atmosphere, civilians, police personnel are being targeted in most gruesome ways. Such incidents of violence against families' of civilians or police personnel are not only worrisome, but put a big question mark over the security apparatus operational in the state," the resolution said.
The party's working committee also resolved that the central government and the governor administration should immediately take steps to restore a sense of security in the state.
"A zero tolerance policy for human rights violations must be reiterated and implemented in letter and spirit. The standard operating procedures that have been put in place must also be implemented without any relaxation," it said.
Reiterating its stand and commitment to defend and protect Article 370 and 35-A of the Constitution, the party said the protection and defence of these constitutional provisions and restoration of autonomy in was the bedrock of the NC's policy and political agenda.
"This is essential to protect the distinct identity of the state and its people. We believe this is the right time for Government of India to consider the autonomy resolution passed by the state legislature. This will be a serious and meaningful effort by the GoI to convert the Independence Day commitment of Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he committed that neither bullets nor abuse is the way forward, it is by embracing Kashmiris that the solution to the Kashmir problem will be found," the party said.
In the last resolution, the CWC expressed deep concern at the sharp rise of the prices of essential commodities especially petrol, diesel and LPG cylinders.
"Needless to say, this price hike is placing an unbearable burden on the people. We appeal to the government to take emergent steps to immediately reverse this trend, the party said.
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