This Article is From Sep 15, 2019

"Make J&K Shine" Was Brief from PM, Says Governor Satya Pal Malik

"If we make the improvements that are possible... the people in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir are so enduring so much hardship, they will run off, saying they want to live here," Satya Pal Malik said.

'Make J&K Shine' Was Brief from PM, Says Governor Satya Pal Malik

Satya Pal Malik was given charge of Jammu and Kashmir in August last year.

Srinagar:

Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik today said his instruction from Prime Minister Narendra Modi was to create a "shining" place where people from Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir would also wish to come and settle here.

"If we make the improvements that are possible... the people in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir are so enduring so much hardship, they will run off, saying they want to live here," Mr Malik said at a function in Srinagar today.

Mr Malik was given charge of Jammu and Kashmir in August last year, around two months after the ruling coalition of the BJP and Mehbooba Mufti's People's Democratic Party crashed and soon after, the state came under Governor's Rule.

Last month, weeks after the Election Commission announced that it would hold elections in the state, the government ended the state's special powers and bifurcated it into two union territories.

The centre, however, said Jammu and Kashmir may not have to be a union territory always. The status can be removed once there is some development on the ground, the government said.

Emphasising Union Minister Amit Shah's remark that full state status will be returned to Jammu and Kashmir "at an appropriate time", PM Modi said "This was a step taken after a lot of thought... we won't need to continue UT status for very long".

The stint of Central rule has been beneficial for Jammu and Kashmir and led to good governance, PM Modi had said.

As Pakistan focussed on Jammu and Kashmir since the Centre's move to end the special status of the state and bifurcate it into two Union Territories, the centre has made repeated reference to Pakistan Occupied Kashmir.

Union minister Rajnath Singh had said if dialogues with Pakistan start, the focus will be on PoK. India has also flagged the rights violations committed by Pakistan in parts of PoK.

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