Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Patron Mufti Muhammad Sayeed, today said 2002 assembly elections was turning point in the political history of Jammu and Kashmir because that elections had not only restored peoples faith in democracy but the government formed after the elections had also changed political discourse of the state. Addressing a day-long convention of party workers at Bandipora, Mr Sayeed said formation of PDP-led government in 2002 was an historic event in the political history of the state. He added that his party has scripted a new chapter of peace and development in Jammu and Kashmir. ‘Although we had just 16 members in the assembly after 2002, it was result of our commitment and conviction that we earned credibility of the people and succeeded in implementing our agenda of peace and development in the State’, he said, adding, ‘PDP led regime had also restored dignity and honour of the people’.
‘Our party had convinced successive governments at Delhi, through our convictions, to initiate some bold Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) to restore lasting peace in this region’, he said and added that PDP had entered into alliance with Congress by formulating a Common Minimum Programme (CMP) in which wishes of all people were incorporated and pro-peace agenda was given first priority. ‘After getting power, we released all political prisoners and disbanded the notorious Special Task Force (STF) to restore confidence among the masses’, he said. ‘The PDP-led coalition government had given a new direction to governance in order to address all these diverse issues effectively with the result that successive prime ministers could come here and reach out to the people and understand their problems.’ He recalled the historic announcement made by then prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee from Srinagar in which he had extended hand of friendship towards Pakistan. UNI