Shabir Shah for NGOs to monitor J&K polls

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, FEB. 10. While supporting the peace initiative in Jammu and Kashmir, the J&K Democratic Freedom Party president, Mr. Shabir Shah, today urged the Indian Government to avail of the ``golden opportunity'' offered by Pakistan's ``positive response'' to the peace process.

At a press conference here, Mr. Shah said the Indian Government should ``not take lightly the response shown by Pakistan to the peace process. The response being positive, offers a golden opportunity to resolve the Kashmir issue peacefully.''

Condemning the recent killing of six Sikhs in Srinagar, Mr. Shah said it was part of a ``deeper conspiracy to malign the ongoing movement in Kashmir and in that context to offset the peace initiative.''

Asked whether the Pakistan Chief Executive, Gen. Pervez Musharraf's tough talk on ``Kashmir Solidarity Day'' on February 4 was indicative of the fact that things might not turn out to be smooth in the long run, Mr. Shah said such indications were only ``initial hiccups'' and pointed towards domestic compulsions.

Describing the Ramzan ceasefire offer of the Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee, as a ``gracious and welcome step'' in the right direction, he regretted that some quarters opposed the move for their own vested interests.

Mr. Shah demanded elections in the State under the supervision of NGOs and prominent intellectuals to bring to the fore ``real and genuine'' representatives of the people. He even dared the Chief Minister, Dr. Farooq Abdullah, to face elections under such a supervision. ``I have full faith in intellectuals from India, they will shoulder their responsibility of overseeing the elections in a fair manner.''

He supported the proposal of the All-Party Hurriyat Conference leadership to visit Pakistan to talk to militant and political leaders but criticised the Centre for ``dilly- dallying'' in giving them passports.

``This clash of egos must stop. The Hurriyat leaders should be given passports to travel to Pakistan. The Indian Government should be serious and sincere in resolving the Kashmir issue,'' he said.

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