By IANS,
Srinagar : Amid violent protests for the last two months in Jammu and Kashmir over the Amarnath land row, an all-party meeting here Thursday called for a peaceful dialogue and reconciliatory measures to resolve the dispute.
Calling for peace in Jammu and Kashmir, reeling under the long unrest amid violence, curfew and shutdowns in many places with communal overtones, participants in the meeting underlined the age-old tradition of communal harmony in the state.
In the meeting convened by Governor N.N. Vohra in the evening, political parties, including the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), the National Conference and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), expressed their collective commitment to strive for peace and amity in the state, an official spokesman said.
“Let the people of the state maintain peace and harmony in this difficult hour, in keeping with their glorious traditions,” the parties said in a statement made available to the media.
“We believe that all the contentious issues can and must be resolved amicably, based on dialogue and reconciliation.”
Governor Vohra sought the cooperation and support of all in restoring peace and said he would continue dialogue involving people of all shades of opinion for evolving an amicable solution.
He said the issue should be seen beyond regional horizons and urged the parties to strive for cementing the bonds of amity and the spirit of accommodation, keeping in view the larger interests of the state and the country.
Vohra asked the political parties to use their influence in clearing the atmosphere of mistrust and suspicion that has vitiated the cohesiveness and harmony in the state.
A senior government official said measures were being taken for smooth and secure movement of fruit and essential commodities on the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway.
Explaining the mechanism of traffic movement on the highway, he said that convoys would travel between Lakhanpur on the Punjab border and the valley twice a day under police protection.
A mobile squad will patrol the highway round-the-clock, he said.
State leaders of the Communist Party of India-Marxist, the Peoples Democratic Front, the Rashtriya Janata Dal, the Akali Dal, the Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party and the Janata Dal were present in the meeting, said the spokesman.