The Hindu : National : Mufti assures full security to bus passengers

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Saturday, Apr 02, 2005

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National

Mufti assures full security to bus passengers

By Our Staff Reporter

JAMMU, APRIL 1. The Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, said today the passengers of the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus would be provided full security.

He asserted that those who had issued threats to the passengers would be "defeated by the will and the resolution of the people, as in the past."

He was making a statement in the Legislative Assembly in response to a point raised by Opposition members about some terrorist organisations having leaked to the press the names of the passengers and warning them against making the trip.

He said any positive step taken to strengthen the process of peace and reconciliation met with such opposition from elements inimical to the return of normality to the State.

"They [terrorists] failed to deter us in the past and will not succeed now either. "Our determination to bring down the walls of hatred is unshakable." The enemies of peace would have to be on the defensive as the forces of amity and friendship in Jammu and Kashmir were on the offensive.

According to information he received, only one person has received a threatening phone call from England warning him against travelling by the bus. But the passenger told the caller that he was not afraid and would go ahead with his travel.

`Nothing will stop the people'

The Mufti said the people of Jammu and Kashmir had faced such situations and nothing would stop them from pursuing the path of peace.

Earlier, the National Conference members raised the issue of security of the passengers. The NC member and MLA, Ali Mohammad Sagar, said: "Let us be practical as to how the State Government would ensure the security of the passengers travelling to Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir. You may get the bus to roll on April 7, but this is no answer to the long-term genuine concerns of the people."

Another NC MLA, Sharief-ud-din-Shariq, charged the Mufti Government with taking undue credit for beginning the bus service and this showed the failure to confront the Opposition on major developmental issues.

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