SRINAGAR, 4 November — Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed yesterday said he would ascertain the people’s wishes before proceeding on the thorny issue of greater autonomy for the strategic state.

Sayeed, who took office as chief minister Saturday, indicated it would be unrealistic to take up this issue before wider consultations with the people.

“Setting the objective before the outcome of talks would be futile and self defeating. We cannot fix the target before knowing the wishes of the people,” he said at his first news conference here after becoming chief minister. “The demand for autonomy is like putting the cart before the horse unless the people’s views on the issue are known.”

Unlike the previous National Conference government, the Congress party-People’s Democratic Party (PDP) coalition currently ruling the state has soft-pedaled the autonomy issue.

The National Conference, voted out in elections held in September-October, had been pressing New Delhi to restore a pre-1953 dispensation that gave Kashmir power over all subjects except defense, communications and foreign affairs. The central government, however, had summarily dismissed the demand for greater autonomy.

In their common minimum program of governance, the Congress and PDP have promised to devolve powers to remote and under-developed regions like Kargil and Ladakh. Sayeed also vowed to deliver an administration with a “healing touch” for the state has been in the grip of a violent separatist movement since 1989.

“We have to provide a healing touch and my effort will be to tackle the problem of alienation. We are committed to removing the causes of alienation among the people,” he said. He was of the view that the state administration, especially the police, needed a major facelift to make it more people-friendly. Sayeed said the police should not use torture or third degree methods on arrested people.

“Investigation should not mean torture in my regime. There has to a change of attitude and I am here to bring that about.”

In keeping with the PDP’s poll promises, the new government has said it will disband the Special Operations Group (SOG) of the police, a counter-insurgency force accused of serious human rights violations. “There is no question of back-tracking over this issue,” he said.

Sayeed said he would move shortly to free some of the people detained under the unpopular previous government. Sayeed has in the past called for the release of all separatist leaders whom police have held without charges. “The process of releasing the people would start soon,” Sayeed said. He did not give further details.

Three of the executive members of Kashmir’s main separatist alliance, the All Parties Hurriyat Conference, are in jail: Yasin Malik, Syed Ali Geelani and Sheikh Aziz.

Sayeed said his government would not implement Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) in Kashmir. “We are screening the cases of those booked under this law,” he said. Critics say the anti-terror act, which gives police more power to detain and eavesdrop on suspects, has been used disproportionately against Muslims.

Sayeed hoped the assurances made by Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani to extend full support to his government would be “honored in letter and spirit in the national interest.

“We must place it on record that we do have faith in these assurances. The prime minister keeps his word and he promised to ensure fair elections would be held in Kashmir and that was done. “We hope his government will walk an extra mile to consolidate the gains made by the successful elections and reward the people of Kashmir for their courage.”

Sayeed said the people’s verdict in the three regions of the state was “for a definite and positive change. It was a verdict against broken promises, betrayed hopes, misgovernment. It was also a verdict against corruption, nepotism, oppression and injustice.”

He said the common minimum program would guide the Congress-PDP combine. “We shall endeavor to usher in an area of hope and happiness, peace and honor, prosperity and justice to people living in the three regions of the state.”

Meanwhile, two schoolteachers and two rebels were killed overnight in Kashmir, police said yesterday.