Awami National Conference (ANC) President Ghulam Muhammad Shah on Saturday said that if voted to power ANC would drag army and paramilitary forces out of the civilian areas.
Addressing a press conference at his residence here, Shah said, “Our working committee has taken note of the ground realities in the State and human rights violation by troops have been found at its peak. We have also taken note of the social and economic deprivations. It is unbearable to be a silent spectator. ANC will put an end to it forever by dragging army and paramilitary forces out of the civilian areas,” Shah said.
Urging the separatists to participate in elections, the former chief minister Shah said that there is a great semblance in the agenda of separatists and ANC.
Shah also said that there is a possibility that Muslim United Front (MUF) may be formed again.
“Participation of separatists in the assembly elections can help us bring good governance in the state for people’s welfare. So I am meeting both factions of the Hurriyat and all other separatists and invite them to participate in elections.,” he said.
Terming Kashmir as a disputed issue, Shah said only a tripartite dialogue can bring a lasting solution to Kashmir dispute.
“We are committed to the resolution of Kashmir dispute through tripartite talks by respecting the wishes and aspirations of the Kashmiri people who are the principal sufferers and the prime party to the long pending Kashmir dispute,” Shah said.
He said that his party would participate in the coming assembly elections after a gap of 22 years, but maintained that elections can never be a substitute to the settlement and final resolution of Kashmir dispute.
“We are participating in elections for administrative measures and to bring good governance in the State so that people of get relief and their burdens and hardships are lessened,” Shah said, adding, “ANC will not have a poll-alliance with any political party.”
He said that if ANC would be voted to power the party would end the problem of unemployment.
Shah, who met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on May 15, 2008 in New Delhi, said that the PM has taken a serious note of human rights violations in the state by demanding an immediate end to such violations.
The ANC president said that he is meeting all the separatist groups in the Valley and invited them to participate in the coming assembly elections.
He said that he has got an assurance from the PM for deputing independent observers who can monitor the fairness of coming assembly elections in the state.
“The PM has sought a list of observers from us. We have made a list of 102 people including former PMs, former ministers, former chief justices of India, intellectuals and media persons and would send the list to the PM very soon,” he said.
Shah also disclosed that ANC would hold an Intra Kashmir Peace Conference in Srinagar in the next two months.
“The PM expressed full support to holding such a conference in Srinagar and sought a list of participants from both sides of Kashmir and assured that the GOI will facilitate their travel permissions. We are soon releasing a list of about 300 guests who would participate in the conference,” said Shah.
He said that the ANC was in touch with Islamabad to motivate them to allow people from their part of Kashmir to attend the conference. Khalid Jehangir, The Cheers News
Khalid Jehangir, 
