CAN’T DICTATE MODI ON PAK, SAYS MUFTI

Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed said on Friday he couldn’t force Prime Minister Narendra Modi to hold talks with Pakistan but expressed hope that the stalled bilateral dialogue process would resume soon.

Sayeed defended an R80,000 crore package announced by Modi on November 7 and parried criticism that the PM had ignored the political dimensions of the Kashmir dispute and missed an opportunity to reach out to Pakistan. “It’s not that whatever I say, the PM will accept it. I am not a dictator. Our agenda-of-alliance clearly mentioned reconciliation with Pakistan. I am sure about that but we can’t make the PM He say is yes not to under everythingany pressure,”in one go.o Sayeed said.

“Modi is totally focused onn development of J&K. Don’t jump to conclusion as it’s an evolutionary process.” Sayeed also saidd he would continue to work forr reconciliation and talks with the Pakistan. Bilateral relations werehave been cancelledcold sinceafter a last bitter Augustwars when proposed NSA-level talks of words over the agenda of the dialogue and a planned meeting between Kashmiri separatists and Pakistan’s then NSA Sartaj Aziz.

India has also accused Pakistan of repeated ceasefire violations and of having a hand in recent terror incidents.

Ties between the PDP andd the BJP have been rocky after Sayeed credited Pakistan for the peaceful elections in the statee during his swearing-in ceremony. Since then, the alliance partners have clashed on a number of issues, including the release of separatist leader Masarat Alam and the controversy surrounding beef consumption in the state.