PDP mainstreamed Kashmir problem but gains being wasted: Mehbooba Mufti

PDP President, Mehbooba Mufti

Peoples Democratic Party has reemphasized that while performing the role of a responsible and effective opposition it will continue to address larger political, constitutional and economic issues for a peaceful resolution of Kashmir problem.

Press Release/Srinagar July 07: Peoples Democratic Party has reemphasized that while performing the role of a responsible and effective opposition it will continue to address larger political, constitutional and economic issues for a peaceful resolution of Kashmir problem.

Addressing a day long meeting of senior party leaders, legislatures and District and Zonal Presidents of Kashmir division the Party president Mehbooba Mufti asserted that the party’s vision for resolution of short term and long term problems was now gaining universal acceptability.

Mehbooba said the decade long performance of the youngest party on the political scene of the state had introduces an element of stability, accountability and mainstreaming of Kashmir problem between India, Pakistan and the people of the state. J&K she said was no more a monopoly state for any political party and PDP’s positive role had ensured that people became aware of their rights within the system and were raising their voice through democratic means which the present world order and national leadership could not afford to ignore.

Referring to the immense miseries and hardships faced by the people of the state over the past two decades Mehbooba said the time frame of our problems in fact goes beyond 1990. it is a legacy of our history that successive generations of the state have suffered because of events that were not entirely either of their making or under their control. PDP she said has tried to identify the areas that need to be addressed on political, diplomatic, constitutional and economic fronts for bringing in a real change into the life of ordinary people and self rule was the outline of that vision. Mehbooba said the party was launching an awareness campaign about different aspects and elements of self rule so that the real stakeholders, the residents of the state, are fully aware of what the PDP stands for .

Mehbooba said her and Mufti Mohammad Sayeed’s and other party leader’s decision to leave a national party was guided by their conscience & concern for the states interest that had continuously been compromised or ignored. The gains made under the leadership of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed since 2002, were however unfortunately being frittered away now resulting in wide spread unrest.

Expressing serious concern over the problems faced by people PDP president cautioned the government about a looming economic crises marked by an acute food shortage in almost all areas of the state. Coupled with an almost failed power supply system in rural areas and non availability of kerosene at government depots the situation she said had reached a breaking point for the consumers.

She said the political leadership in the government should instead of reeling out statistics provided by the officials try to reach out to the people to find out for them selves as to how a famine like situation had developed in most areas especially the kandi and hilly belts of Kashmir valley and rain fed areas of Jammu, Poonch Rajouri and Chenab valley. Even the Chief Ministers announcement in February this year about enhancement of ration scales had turned out to be another false promise she added and asked the party cadres to effectively project the problems of the daily life of the people.

Mehbooba said the human rights situation in the state had assumed disastrous proportions with the uniformed forces doing almost exactly opposite of what the government claims. The only silver lining, she said was that the PDP’s consistent demand for revocation of AFSPA and demilitarization of civilian areas was now being debated on the national level. She said it was unheard of in a democratic system that a whole district, Shopian, was observing a total strike for forty days in pursuit of justice for the victims of an atrocity and the government was not even taking a note of it except through its forces that have been heaping terror on the peaceful citizens.

Referring to the Larkipora incident in which a young boy was released from illegal detention Mehbooba said it was heartening that the people’s pressure had saved the precious life. Nothing she said can undermine people’s power if it is channelised in a democratic and peaceful manner which is the corner stone of PDP’s political programme. She regretted that the security forces and police had now intensified their anti people operations in Poonch Rajouri and Chenab valley also. Condemning the reported rape of an aged lady in Marmath she said it was a blot on the face of the government which has failed even to respect the aged. Similarly, she said a young man was forced to commit suicide in Bhaderwah to escape the police harassment and atrocities. The youth, as reported had lost his father to army bullets and his mother and brother had been handicapped in the same incident.

The meeting was presided over by Party Patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, those who spoke on the occasion included senior party leaders Molvi Iftikhar Hussain Ansari, Mohd Dilawar Mir, Nizamudin Bhat, Ab Rehman Veeri, Mohd Khalil Bandh, Mohd Sartaj Madni, Ab Aziz Zargar, Qazi Mohd Afzal, Peer Mohd Hussain, Gh Nabi Lone, Syed Basharat Bukhari, Ab Razak Zawoora, Nazir Ah Laway, Saifudin Bhat and Javed Beg all other MLA’s, District presidents and Zonal presidents.