Mehbooba Mufti announces protests on August 5 for restoration of Article 370
People’s Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday announced that her party would hold peaceful protests at district headquarters across Jammu and Kashmir on August 5 to press for the restoration of Article 370 and “resolution of the Kashmir issue”.
The Centre revoked J&K’s special status by abrogating Article 370 of the Constitution on August 5, 2019.
“All our people, who are sitting here, will hold peaceful protests in their districts on August 5 for the restoration of Article 370, 35A, and peaceful resolution of the Kashmir issue,” Mehbooba Mufti said at a press conference at the party headquarters here on the occasion of the PDP’s 27th foundation day.
The announcement comes close on the heels of National Conference president Farooq Abdullah, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, ministers, MLAs and party workers holding a protest in the national capital on July 20, demanding the immediate restoration of statehood to the Union Territory.
Mehbooba Mufti, the former chief minister, said that August 5 was the day “everything was stripped from us”.
She said the party, on its foundation day, has passed a resolution including on “resolution of Kashmir issue”.
“The party hereby resolves to reaffirm its belief in ‘peace with dignity’ as the only sustainable path towards lasting peace, through dialogue, reconciliation, confidence-building and meaningful democratic engagement among all stakeholders,” the resolution read.
She said PDP is committed to “peaceful resolution of the Kashmir issue”, alongside the restoration of Article 370, Article 35A, “our identity, and statehood”.
“PDP remains committed to this cause. We will continue our struggle, and God willing, we will achieve it,” she said.
Mehbooba Mufti said her father and PDP founder Mufti Mohammad Sayeed’s vision cannot move forward unless Jammu and the Kashmir valley walk together, understand each other’s pain and sorrow and work jointly for each other’s progress.
“We will endeavour to walk hand-in-hand, just as the people of Kargil and Leh in Ladakh move forward together,” she said.
She also called for restoration of trade and connectivity, saying J&K has been constrained like a flower in a pot, even as it can become a vital bridge between Central Asia and South Asia.
“Whether across the Line of Control (LoC) or other regional borders, we will strive to reopen these routes for movement and trade.
“The Muzaffarabad and Rawalakot trade routes opened in 2005 following our efforts were unfortunately closed. We appeal to the Central Government to reopen them for trade, and also to open the Sharda Peeth corridor for our Kashmiri Pandit brothers and sisters,” she said.
The PDP president called for the release of political prisoners and undertrials, and withdrawal of the Army from areas where militancy has reduced.
“In areas where militancy has reduced, as the Government of India itself frequently claims, we urge the Central Government to relocate the army back to barracks. This is not a new demand; we have voiced it previously and are reiterating it today,” she said.
