SRINAGAR: In a major development, the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) that met on Tuesday at the residence of National Conference president Dr Farooq Abdullah, has decided to go ahead with PM’s all party meet.
Peoples Democratic Party president and former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti will also attend the meeting.
An amalgamation of various parties, the PAGD has decided to take part in the all party meeting called by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 24 at his residence in Delhi.
*ICE-BREAKS: PAGD accepts PM Modi’s invite for June 24 meet in Delhi*
*Our stand clear, known to everyone, all those invited will attend meet: Dr Farooq; Will represent people’s aspirations, seek what is ours and what will remain ours, says Tarigami; Will pitch hard for release of all pol prisoners, shifting inmates to Sgr jails: Mehbooba; No compromise on Article 370, Article 35-A: Muzaffar Shah*
Abid Bashir
Addressing a joint press conference after meeting the PAGD leaders said that they will also seek release of political prisoners and shifting of inmates from various Indian prisons to J&K jails.
“Our stand is clear and all of you know what our stand is. Since New Delhi has invited leaders’ individually, we have decided that all those invited will attend the meeting and put forth their points on J&K,” said Dr Farooq Abdullah, adding that “we can talk on any and every issue in the meeting.”
he said. Speaking on the occasion, M Y Tarigami said that they will not ask for stars from the sky in the PM’s meeting on June 24. “We will seek something that is ours and will remain ours,” he said, hinting that they will seek restoration of Article 370 and Article 35 A.
He said that they will go to Delhi and represent the people of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh. “We will put forth the aspirations of people of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh in the meeting. Whatever is possible within the Indian constitution is what we are going to seek,” said Tarigami, who is the chief spokesman of PAGD.
Chipping in, PDP chief Mehbooba said that earlier there was a suggestion that only Dr Farooq would represent PAGD in the June 24 meeting but now there is a consensus that all those who have been invited will go. “We are not against dialogue.
My late father Mufti Muhammad Sayeed has always advocated dialogue for resolution of issues. I believe New Delhi should have released all political prisoners for creating an atmosphere for talks but it didn’t,” she said. “Now we will demand the release of political prisoners as there are many who are ill in jails. We will also seek immediate shifting of prisoners back to J&K jails from various Indian prisons.” Echoing similar views, Tarigami said that prisoners like Shabir Ahmed Shah are very ill in prisons and that the release of inmates is highly inevitable now.
Awami National Conference vice-president Muzaffar Shah while speaking on the occasion said: “There will be no compromise on Article 370 and Article 35 A.”
