Unfortunate that Pakistan did not respond to Narendra Modi's Ramzan ceasefire gesture says Mehbooba Mufti

Srinagar: With Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the dais at a function in Srinagar, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday took a dig at Pakistan for not responding positively to India's "goodwill gesture" of Ramadan ceasefire in Jammu and Kashmir.

File image of Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti. PTI

"It takes a large heart and a position of strength to declare the Ramadan ceasefire. You have tried to dress the wounds of our people and I assure you that your positive step will be reciprocated by 10 positive steps by our people," Mehbooba Mufti said.

She was addressing the function at the Sher-e-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) in Srinagar where Modi inaugurated the 330-megawatt Kishenganga hydro-electric power project and also laid the foundation of the Srinagar Ring Road to de-congest the city.

"It is unfortunate that Pakistan has not responded to this goodwill gesture. Had they responded positively then precious lives would not have been lost in yesterday's firing by Pakistan on the border in Jammu," the chief minister said.

She said the prime minister had the mandate and the stature to solve all the problems of the people in the state, recalling that remedies were in the agenda of an alliance between the PDP and the BJP. "There are solutions to problems faced by west Pakistan refugees, by migrant Pandits and also for the problems faced by the state because of the Indus Water Treaty. "You have the mandate and the capacity to solve the problems of the people of Jammu and Kashmir and I am sure you have the stature to solve all the problems faced by us."

The chief minister said Road, Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari had been very kind to address the developmental problems of the state. "My late father would say even if we build roads of gold in Kashmir, it is all lost once an innocent life is lost here," she said.