Kashmir crisis

Oct.25,2002

                                                                              M A I N   N E W S

Mufti to insist on agenda
S.P. Sharma and Ehsan Fazili
Tribune News Service

Srinagar/Anantnag, October 24
The People's Democratic Party (PDP) chief, Mufti Mohammed Sayeed, will stress on evolving a common minimum programme with inputs from the election manifesto of his party when he resumes talks with the Congress President, Mrs Sonia Gandhi, in Delhi tomorrow to forge a coalition government in Jammu and Kashmir.

The Mufti is leaving for Delhi tomorrow alongwith his daughter and Vice-President of the PDP, Ms Mehbooba Mufti, and a party MLA and legal expert, Mr Muzaffar Beg.

The Political Affairs Committee of the PDP met here today to finalise the agenda for the meeting with Mrs Sonia Gandhi.

It is learnt that the Mufti indicated at the PAC meeting that the PDP was not power hungry, but would join hands with the Congress to implement its election promises and take the state out of the mess which was created by the NC government.

Meanwhile, addressing a public meeting, attended by over 5,000 persons at Lal Chowk in Anantnag this afternoon, Mufti Mohammed Sayeed said his party stood for a solution of the Kashmir problem, that could be achieved only by winning over the hearts of the people of this state.

The former Union Home Minister said his party had resolved to hold talks with the militants for "an honourable solution of the problem in a peaceful atmosphere". Earlier, in her brief address, Ms Mehbooba Mufti, who has been elected from Pahalgam constituency, said the PDP would strive for fulfilling the promises made in the manifesto — ending bloodshed and harassment to the innocents.