Disappointed at outcome of PM's all-party meeting on J-K, says PAGD

Days after attending an all-party meeting convened by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the national capital, the People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) has expressed its dissatisfaction over the outcome of the meeting.

The first meeting of the alliance after the Delhi meeting was held late Sunday evening at the residence of National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah, who is also the chairman of the alliance.

PAGD spokesperson MY Tarigami toldthat there has been "absence of any substantial confidence-building measures" such as releasing political and other prisoners from jails.

"All the members of the PAGD have expressed their disappointment at the outcome of the Delhi meeting, especially at the absence of any substantial confidence-building measures such as releasing political and other prisoners from jails and taking concrete steps to end the siege and atmosphere of suppression that has choked Jammu and Kashmir since 2019. We all returned disappointed," he said.

"This would have initiated the much-needed process of reaching out to the people of Jammu and Kashmir who are the biggest stakeholders and sufferers of the Jammu and Kashmir problem," he added.

The meeting was attended by vice-chairperson Mehbooba Mufti, Justice(retd) Hasnain Masoodi, Javed Mustafa Mir and Muzaffar Ahmed Shah besides Tarigami.

"We do not approve violation of our constitutional rights which took place on August 5, 2019, and we will take up the matter to different forums. We are committed to fight together to reverse the unconstitutional and unacceptable changes foisted on the people of Jammu and Kashmir on August 5, 2019, using all constitutional, legal and political means at its disposal," Tarigami said.

The CPI-M leader said that PAGD's struggle for undoing "these changes will continue as long as it takes while striving to achieve this objective as early as possible".

Tarigami said restoration of statehood has been "BJP's commitment on the floor of the Parliament and they must honour their word."

"So any assembly election must be held only after the restoration of full statehood for Jammu and Kashmir. To this end, the PAGD has decided to reach out to other political parties in Jammu and Kashmir with a view to taking a common position on the issue," he added.

The meeting on June 24 was the first high-level interaction between the Centre and political leadership mainly from Kashmir since August 5, 2019, when the Centre abrogated Article 370 that gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir and also bifurcated the erstwhile state into two union territories - Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

Peoples' Conference leader Sajjad Lone had welcomed the Delhi meeting and hoped that it starts phase of "reconciliation between Delhi and Srinagar".

The meeting of PADP leaders was held two days before the visit of the Delimitation Commission to Jammu and Kashmir.

The commission will be on a four-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir from July 6-9 and interact with District Election Officers and leaders of political parties.

The Commission has been tasked with redrawing parliamentary and assembly constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir.

( With inputs from ANI )