Economic Blockade

”اناج اگاﺅ اور آزادی پاﺅ“
اقتصادی خود کفالت پر شکیل بخشی کا زور

سرینگر//اسلامک سٹوڈنٹس لیگ کے سربراہ شکیل احمد بخشی نے کہا ہے کہ اگرعدم برداشت سماج و حکومت سے کشمیر کی اقتصادی پابندی جاری رکھی گئی تو دربامو کو جموں منتقل نہیں ہو نے دیا جائے گا جبکہ کشمیر سے جانے والی شما لی گرڑ جا نے والی بجلی سپلائ لائن کو بھی کاٹ دیا جائے گا۔اپنے ایک بیان میں انہوں نے کہا کہ ”اناج اگاو اور آزادی پاو “کے پرواگرام کو اب مزید موثر بنانے کی ضرورت ہے۔شکیل بخشی نے اپنے بیان میں بھارت پر الزام عائد کرتے ہوئے کہا کہ وہ جموں وکشمیر میں تہذیبی ٹکراو کی شروعات چاہتے ہیں اور جموں کے مسلمانوں کے صبر کا امتحان لیا جا رہا ہے تاکہ 1947کی روایت کو دہرایا جائے۔انہوں نے اپنے بیان میں عالم اسلام سے اپیل کی کہ وہ مسلمانوں کے خلاف اقتصادی اور بلوائی یلغار کو دیکھ کر بھارت کے ساتھ اشتراک کے عمل میں اس کا ردعمل دکھائیں۔انہوں نے اپنے بیان میں پاکستان پر زور دیا کہ وہ ایم ایف اینMNF اور( سافٹا 20)معاہدے کو توڑنے کا اعلان کریں۔انہوں نے کہا کہ آئی ایس ایل
کو ہڑتال کال کے ساتھ کوئی تعلق نہیں ہے

Thursday, July 31, 2008 (Srinagar) 27 Rajab 1429 H
RISING KASHMIR
Experts say Kashmir should become self-reliant

Hakeem Irfan
Srinagar, July 30: Economists, businessmen, pro-freedom leaders and pro-India politicians on Wednesday said for becoming self-reliant, Jammu and Kashmir has to become a productive state from a consumer state.
The reaction came immediately after Chairman Hurriyat (G) Syed Ali Geelani appealed masses to develop work culture and become self-reliant after the rightwing Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) called for blocking Srinagar-Jammu highway.
Noted Kashmiri economist and a university teacher, Prof Nisar Ali said: “Our primary and secondary sectors like agriculture and small scale industries are stagnant while the tertiary service sector has shown some growth. Our state exports goods worth Rs 3500 crore which comprise of orchard products and handicrafts. We import goods worth Rs 16,000 crore annually which means the State’s economy has emerged as parasite of dependent economy.”
Ali said that the State is dependent on New Delhi for 80 per cent of devolution of finances while only 20 per cent needs are met by the State tax and non-tax revenue.
However he said that the dream of becoming self-reliant and projecting self-sustained growth needs introduction of technology for production of consumer goods like fisheries, food grains, poultry and other daily products.
“We have become the market of Punjab and Haryana where industries are flourishing because of our State,” he said. “More importantly our people have to develop an effective work culture, commitment, dedication and will power to change the course of things.”
Referring to the cross-LoC trade he said that the trade is cost effective and the benefits from that will directly go to the producer and abolish all the intermediately costs.
Taking to Rising Kashmir, former finance minister, Muzaffar Hussain Baig said: “Blockade intimidation by BJP is forcing people to look for the alternate routes. Then people here have two options of independence and Pakistan left with them. We have to nurture the culture of entrepreneurship and refrain from dependency that has crept in our character as a nation. We have to change the attitude of outsourcing our work to the outsiders.”
Reacting to BJP’s threat, senior pro-freedom leader Shakeel Bakhshi said: “We will breach the ceasefire line to look for options. Besides, we will stop exporting power.”
Bakshi said that we will also stop Kashmiris to move with Darbar in the coming months to dilute the sectarian mentality of people who intimidate Kashmiris. “We called for self-reliance in 1980s only. We raised a slogan of “Anaj ugao azadi pao”. Of late everybody has realized the same,” he said.
Bakshi said that the cross-LoC trade is only possible if Kashmiris have economic sovereignty. “Not even a single product of ours is patented,” he said. “We appeal Pakistan to withdraw India from MFN (Most Favoured Nation) states,and SAFTA 20” said Bakshi.
President Federation of Chamber of Commerce Industries Kashmir (FCIK) Shakeel Qalander said: “We have to become self-reliant and resort to the old practices in livestock, poultry and milk products. Geographical Indication Patent for Kashmir is an important step. Although we worked for that sometime back, it was opposed by some people.”
Qalander said: “Cross LoC trade is beneficial for us but we have to look for the resolution of ultimate political crisis of Kashmir.”