Mehbooba seeks freedom for ‘locked up’ Kashmiris
Terming Jammu and Kashmir as the ‘crown’ of India, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti Saturday said that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was in favour of opening more routes for the ‘locked up’ Kashmiris.
Speaking at 18th anniversary of PDP’s foundation day at SK Cricket Stadium, Mehbooba said that Kashmiris who have been ‘locked up’ by blocking various routes must be given ‘freedom’, which according to her was the dream of his father, Late Mufti Muhammad Sayeed.
“Traditional roads between Jammu and Sialkot, Kargil and Skardu and Nowshera and Jhanger be opened rather than closing them,” Mehbooba added.
Chief Minister also said that the students from either parts of Kashmir should visit divided parts to see their tradition and lifestyle. “We should decide to nominate candidates from that part as well for the reserved seats in our assembly,” she added.
Mehbooba further said that ‘Charas and Ganja’ is being supplied to this part of Kashmir but despite that “We won’t allow closure of the road as we are in favour of opening more routes.”
She said that Kashmiri’s in today’s era don’t have fear of Army, white jeeps and others as the fear has been eradicated by her father by pouting an end to ‘Ikhwan culture and Task Force’.
Mehbooba said that today’s challenge in the state is not the fear of troops but an idea that can’t be caged or killed. “You can’t kill an idea and you can’t jail it as well as an idea is useful to get better idea always,” she said.
Saying that the JK is the crown of India, Mehbooba said, “JK is the crown of India and India is incomplete without it. But the issue confronting the state must be resolved,” she said, adding that the wounds of Kashmiris must be cured.
She also invoked former prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee’s Lahore Declaration, pitching to bring permanent peace in Jammu and Kashmir. “Lahore declaration made by former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee should be adopted to bring the peace in Kashmir,” she said.
PDP president also appealed political parties including National Conference (NC), Congress, BJP and others to sit together and find a solution to the problems which people of Kashmir are currently facing.
“My appeal to NC, Congress, BJP, Communists and others is let’s sit together and resolve our issues,” Mehbooba said.
Pertinently, Member of Parliament (MP) Muzaffar Hussain Baig, Public Works Minister, Naeem Akhtar, Minsiter for Education, Altaf Bukhari, Minister of State for Housing & Urban Development, Health, Medical Education and Social Welfare, Asiea Naqash, Minister for Revenue, Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction, Abdul Rehman Veeri, Horticulture Minister Syed Basharat Bukhari, PDP spokesman, Mehbooba Beg, Sartaj Madni, Nizamu-ud-din Bhat, Yasir Reshi, Muntazir Mohi-ud-din and others were present during the function.
KV Correspondent
