Mehbooba for interaction between J&K, PAK legislators

KT NEWS SERVICE JAMMU, Jan 27 : Favouring interaction between legislators of Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan Administered Kashmir (PAK), PDP president Mehbooba Mufti today said it will boost confidence building measures between the two sides.

Legislators from both the sides through interactions can find ways and means for facilitating trade, travel and promotion of tourism, Mehbooba told reporters here.

She said a committee consisting of legislators from both sides can be set up to discuss issues for confidence building measures, adding she had already taken up the matter with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh recently.

She said use of Indian and Pakistani currencies on both of the LoC can also be considered to facilitate people visiting each other's territory.

"For this purpose, both India and Pakistan can consider opening of bank branches in Jammu and Kashmir and PoK." Mehbooba said her party's agenda of self-rule for the state is basically "to address political, economic and administrative issues keeping in view the religious, regional and ethnic diversities".

Denying the formula is a carbon copy of Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf's self-rule, the PDP leader said her party had floated the concept much before.

"Basically the concept has been discussed at various fora earlier also.

Even Governor S K Sinha intrepreted the concept, though differently, in his Republic Day speech yesterday." Mehbooba said only meaningful dialogue can bring about a peaceful solution to the Kashmir issue.

While referring to the Tamil Nadu Governor's speech for the amendment of the Constitution, the president of the People's Democratic Party(PDP), and the Member of Parliament, Mehbooba Mufti, said that if such a proposal had come out from Kashmir there would have been adverse reactions.

She sought to define Self Rule as the political, administrative and economic empowerment of the people.

According to her assertions it dealt with the internal dimensions of the Kashmir problem besides other aspects.

On the J&K situation she suggested a "viable solution where our sovereignty is not undermined." Mufti spoke of the "bombardment," probably from critics, when she and her party had spoken of the concept of self rule initially.

However "for the first time lots of people have a consensus and are talking of issues," she said.

These were the developments not seen earlier, she added.

They had also been hopeful of out of the box solutions.

She suggested cross-border interaction between legislators through the formation of consultative groups.

This could enable discussion on trade and investment and also disaster management.

She assured credibility in these steps.

Mehbooba felt the possibility of the use of the respective currencies in both India and Pakistan.

On a question on how to handle people like Ali Shah Geelani, she said that he should be given enough space.

She asserted "He was released from jail.

What else is required?" for her this was the "beauty of democracy."