Finally, Mr. Abdullah has admitted that Kashmir needs more investment and more jobs to keep the youths in the state occupied.  However, he still refrained from saying what the actual cause of ill-investment in the state is, and i.e. Articles 370 and 35A.  Mr. Abdullah and his sycophants do not have to take two steps forward to bring investment in the state which thus will create jobs for the youths, only one step will be sufficient and that will be to cooperate with the central government and help them delete those two above cited Articles from the Indian Constitution.  Rest will follow, and he can be rest assured of ever lasting peace, tranquility and stability in the region.  Can Mr. Abdullah swallow this bitter pill? Since he has admitted that Kashmir is part of India, then why does that state need special status?

Mrs. Mufti's comment provides an implied impression of anti-cbentral government's intention of not doing anything to bring peace in the Kashmir region. She is forgetting that the Indian government has been trying to bring peace and tranquility in the region since 1947. It is Pakistani establishment which is creating all sorts of stumbling block on this issue. As she pointed out, Mr. Vajpayee attempt also to achieve this objective, then there was a violation on the LoC which derailed that effort also. Yes, Imran Khan said during his inaugration address that if India takes one step to bring stablity and peace in the region, Pakistan will take two steps in that direction. But my opinion is that Pakistan does not have to take two steps, it has to take only one step first that is to control all terrorist activities on the LoC and punish all non-state militant actors in Pakistan . Everything else will follow.

Mr. Farooq Abdullah's comments and emphasis seem to be addressing the Indian government for lack of initiative for furthering peace and tranquility in the region.  By citing what Mr. Bajpayee did during his tenure, he is blaming the Modi government for not following the same foot steps to improve the situation in Kashmir.  Even though his family's three generations were on the throne of Kashmir, they did not do anything to bring and maintain long lasting peace in Kashmir.  He should know that peace comes when there are two parties willing to sincerely ready to shake hands to achieve this mission.  India has been trying since 1947 to achieve this objective, but it is the Pakistani government not showing the same response.  To some extent, the civilian governments tried to bring peace by improving relations with India, but, unfortunately the nexus of Pakistani military/ISI appeared to be a big stumbling block on the way.  They do not want to improve relations with India.  Whenever, there was a little sign of relief in this respect, the Pakistani establishment created problem at the LoC.  What Mr. Imran Khan can and cann't do in this matter, only the time will tell.  But this writer is not going to hold his breath.  In my opinion, the relations between India and Pakistan cann't improve till the organizational chart in Pakistan changes which means the Pakistani military/ISI becomes subservient to the civilian government.

The big problem in the state of J &K is the existence of two Articles - 370 and 35A.  The provisions under these two Articles prohibit and block the appearance of prosperity and tranquility in that part of India.  Unfortunately, the politicians for their own selfish motive and prestige are playing a party partisan game and do not favor a revocation of these two Articles.  Hence, the continuation and existence of chaotic situation in the state.  Innocent people are being killed on a daily basis.  Public and private properties are being destroyed in front of the eyes of these selfish politicians and they do not even ready to blink, and take a decisive action to remedy the situation. How unfortunate?  When these two Articles were inserted into the Indian Constitution, the timing was different.  Now with the advent of changing time, one should change and make appropriate provisions to set the record in order.  Those who do not change with the time, stay behind.  Is that what the local government wants for the people of Kashmir?  Revocation of these two Articles is the only solution to bring peace, prosperity and tranquility in Kashmir.  THE BALL IS IN THE COURT OF POLITICIANS- ESPECIALLY THE POLITICIANS AT THE STATE LEVEL

What Mrs. Mufti is doing the right thing.  Too many relatives in the government is a recipe for disaster.  However, changing the guards is not the only solution to the problem her state is facing.  The problem is lack of jobs for the youngsters there which creates frustration and out of this frustration destructive activities develops.  People across the border exploit this frustration of youths to achieve their political objective.  Unfortunately, creation of jobs needs a little reshuffling of governments' set mind.  Central and local governments have to take some constructive actions to create jobs and that can be done only by inviting external investment in the state.  It is doable with the revocation of an Article 370 and Clause #35A.  Local government has to decide whether it wants to see prosperity in the state or continue experience a chaotic life under the status quo.  This decision is not tough, all it needs for the decision makers is to set aside party politics and think about the people of J & K- delete the above Article from the Indian Constitution and see how prosperity and tranquility take place so quickly.

This week, Pakistan's voters put a new sheriff on the throne of Islamabad to turn things around for the better.  The new Sheriff has announced that he will pursue a serious negotiation/dialogues with his neighbors especially with India.  Prime Minister Modi has expressed a similar desire to achieve this objective.  However, as we know, to bring real and long lasting peace in that part of the world, it needs two parties with sincere desire and backing of their governmental establishments.  India has been trying without any fruitful outcome for the last seven decades to accomplish this objective, but because of non-cooperation of Pakistani military, it failed.  Military is a big stumbling block in this matter.  Now, for the last couple of decades, a new phenomenon has been added to this unaccomplished objective and that is -terrorism.  Pakistani establishment has been aiding, abetting and encouraging Talibans and other non-state actors-a group of terrorist organisations - to orchestrate illegal and terror generating activities on the LoC.  Lot of innocent civilians are being killed.  Now the question to this new Sheriff is,  can he control his military and order that establishment to stop aiding and abetting those non-state actors and put them behind bars if found doing anything illegal across the LoC?  Right now, as we all know, Military controls the civilian government in Islamabad, and unless that order is reversed on the organizational chart of the Pakistani constitution, one should not keep one's hope high.  Let's see if this new Sheriff can turn the tide for the better.

Mr. Abdullah''s statement that Kashmiris are not terrorist is partially true but not 100% accurate. We all know it is the Kashmiri people who with the help from across the border playing as puppets and create chaos and turbulence in the region. Mr. Abdullah also is seeking a state of affair in the region what India experienced when Ganhiji was alive. He should know that there is a big change in the timing going back to those days and the present political situation. People have to change with the changing of time. If he is so anxious to see those peaceful days in the region, I wonder why was not he and his other two generations able to bring peace in that part of India. His three generations were happy with the status quo. Central government''s position is not to divide India and create racial discrimination between Hindus and Muslims. If that is the case, then one will find turmoil and racial conflicts everywhere where Muslim population lives. But that is not the case. The trouble is only in the Kashmir area where the local governments have so far failed to work with the central government to stop the flow of financial, military and political assistance from across the border.Article 370 is a big stumbling block to bring tranquility and prosperity in the region. It needs to be abrogated asap.