The Hindu : National : 'PDP ready to sacrifice power to make dialogue successful'

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Tuesday, Jun 29, 2004

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'PDP ready to sacrifice power to make dialogue successful'

By Shujaat Bukhari

SOPORE, JUNE 27. The Jammu and Kashmir Minister for Finance, Muzaffar Hussain Baig, said today that his party was ready to sacrifice power to make the ongoing dialogue process successful. Even the dissolution of the Assembly was possible to pave way for bringing all groups to the table.

"Our party [the People's Democratic Party] is committed to resolving the Kashmir issue forever in order to bring peace and stability," Mr. Baig said at a function organised here by the Sopore Degree College Almuni Association.

The people of the State had voted for a change in the 2002 Assembly elections and the PDP-led coalition Government was working on both the political and developmental fronts.

"We strived hard to make possible the Centre's talks with separatists and want this process to goes on. We are even ready to dissolve the Assembly if all groups agree to come to the table," Mr. Baig said.

Kashmir has seen lot of bloodletting in the last 14 years and now it is time to talk and resolve the issue, he said.

The PDP wants peace to be restored in Kashmir. And, in the interest of the people of the subcontinent, it wanted the relations between India and Pakistan strengthened.

Admitting that the State Government had not achieved the desired results in curbing corruption, he said: "Mis-governance is still there, corruption has strong roots in our society and the Government is not fully responsive. But we are trying our best to give a clean administration and this is not possible in one day."

Mr. Baig called upon the students to adopt a changed vision towards achieving their goals.

"Human resource development is important for prosperity of the State," he said.

"This is a place for character-building and do not lose this opportunity."

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