 Early Times Report
Srinagar, Oct 24: In the second meeting of the People’s Alliance For Gupkar Declaration (PAGD), J&K National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah was elected president of the coalition on Saturday. Meanwhile, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti was elected Vice-president and the alliance will prepare a document on Kashmir's ground truths, countering the propaganda, announced JKPC chief Sajad Lone. He added that the alliance was 'not anti-national' and fought to restore the rights of the people of J&K and Ladakh.
Sources report that the alliance will decide whether it will take part in the upcoming District Development Council Elections, cleared by Centre. PAGD will meet again within two weeks in Jammu after finalising its organisational structure. Moreover, PAGD will hold a convention on November 17 and the symbol of the alliance will be the Flag of the erstwhile state of Jammu-Kashmir, which used to be raised at the civil secretariat in Srinagar, said Lone. On Friday, Mufti had said that she would raise the Indian tricolour only when the Jammu-Kashmir state flag 'comes back'. After the release of PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti after 14 months of detention, mainstream Kashmiri politicians who had signed the Gupkar Declaration on August 4, 2019, met at NC chief Farooq Abdullah's residence on October 15. Signing the new Gupkar declaration, NC president Farooq Abdullah affirmed that the Centre must restore the special status of Jammu and Kashmir. The Gupkar Declaration was a resolution passed by NC, PDP, Congress, CPI(M), JKPC and ANC on August 4, 2019, pledging to protect the "identity, autonomy and special status" of J&K. Flanked by PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti and his son Omar, Abdullah announced the alliance's name has been changed to 'People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration'.
On August 4, 2019, all mainstream political leaders like Omar Abdullah, Mehbooba Mufti, Farooq Abdullah, Sajid Lone were arrested or placed under house- arrest, communication links and internet were snapped, while the whole Valley was put under strict curfew. A day later, Parliament revoked Article 370 & Article 35 A, bifurcating the state into two Union territories - Jammu- Kashmir & Ladakh. While full-speed 4G mobile internet is yet to be restored to the Valley, the Centre has changed the domicile law of J&K, issuing over 18.52 domicile certificates issued. Most mainstream J&K parties like - NC, PDP, JKPC, JKPM, Apni Party have rejected the new domicile laws. |
