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Seeking the Centre's cooperation to restore peace in Jammu and Kashmir, Chief Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed on Sunday urged Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to start an unconditional dialogue with all sections of the people in Kashmir.
Addressing his maiden press conference in Srinagar after assuming charge, Sayeed said "I hope the Centre would walk an extra mile to consolidate the gains made by the successful completion of the poll process."
On the Special Operations Group (SOG) of the J&K police, Sayeed said, "We will stick to what we have pledged in the CMP, but pledges cannot be redeemed in a day."
Mufti insisted that POTA would not be enforced in the state and said, "Screening of cases under this Act has already begun."
He said that the state police and his administration would have to gear itself to be public-friendly.
"You don't need severe methods to get information out of suspects. There has to be a change of attitude and I am here to bring about that change," he said.
He described Saturday's grenade attack on his Nowgam residence as "a minor incident aimed at diverting the attention of the government. The general situation has improved and these incidents will not deter us."
Sayeed said the rehabilitation of migrant Kashmiri Pandits was one of the top priorities of his government. "We will not talk big for the sake of publicity. There will be a specific programme for rehabilitation. Their migration is a blot on the identity of Kashmir."
"We cannot bring back 100,000 people overnight. It will be a gradual process and those interested in returning will be given incentives," Sayeed said.
The state cabinet, which met on Sunday morning, decided that the first session of the newly-elected assembly would be held in Jammu on November 21.
The cabinet adopted the Common Minimum Programme agreed to by the alliance partners as the guiding principle for governance in the state, Sayeed said.
The chief minister also allotted portfolios to his cabinet colleagues giving industries, commerce and transport to Deputy Chief Minister Mangat Ram Sharma and finance, planning and transport to his deputy in the PDP Muzaffar Hussain Beig.
Beig, a leading Supreme Court lawyer, has also been given additional charge of law and parliamentary affairs.
Pirzada Mohammad Sayeed, vice-president of the state Congress, has been allotted rural development. Ghulam Hassan Mir has been given housing and urban development and additional charge of revenue, relief and rehabilitation.
Mula Ram has been allotted social welfare, while Harsh Dev Singh has been given school education.
Ministers of State Nawang Rigzin and Haji Nissar Ali have been assigned works and rural development, respectively.
An official announcement said all other departments, including the all important home department, would remain with the chief minister.
Earlier, the new chief minister was accorded a warm welcome when he arrived at the civil secretariat for the first time after assuming office.
With inputs from PTI
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