The Peoples Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) announced on Tuesday that they have accepted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s invitation to a meeting on June 24 in New Delhi, where they will represent the people of Jammu and Kashmir, including Ladakh. The PAGD leaders stated that they will fight hard for the restoration of “what was ours and what can remain ours,” implying that the August 5, 2019 announcement will be reversed.
The PAGD leaders said they will also seek the release of political prisoners and the transfer of inmates from various Indian prisons to J&K jails during a joint press conference following a marathon meeting at National Conference president Dr Farooq Abdullah’s Gupkar residence.
It may be recalled that PAGD leaders met today at 11 a.m. at Dr Farooq’s home under his chairmanship. According to the Kashmir News Observer (KNO), Dr Farooq, the PAGD’s director, told reporters, “Our stand is clear, and all of you know what our stand is.” Since New Delhi has individually invited leaders, we have decided that everyone who has been invited will attend the meeting and present their views on J&K.”
The meeting will not have a set agenda, according to Dr. Farooq. “We can discuss any and all issues during the meeting,” he stated. M Y Tarigami, speaking at the event, stated that they will not request stars from the sky during the PM’s meeting on June 24. “We will seek something that is ours and will remain ours,” he said, implying that Article 370 and Article 35 A will be restored.
They will travel to Delhi to represent the people of Jammu, Kashmir, and Ladakh, he said. “In the meeting, we will present the aspirations of the people of Jammu, Kashmir, and Ladakh. “We are going to seek whatever is possible within the Indian constitution,” said Tarigami, the PAGD’s chief spokesman.
PDP chief Mehbooba chimed in, saying that there was a suggestion that only Dr Farooq would represent PAGD at the June 24 meeting, but that now everyone who has been invited will attend. “We are not opposed to discussion.
Mufti Muhammad Sayeed, my late father, has always advocated for dialogue as a means of resolving conflicts. New Delhi, in my opinion, should have released all political prisoners in order to create a conducive environment for talks, but it did not,” she said. “Now we will demand the release of political prisoners, as many of them are sick in prison. We will also seek the immediate transfer of prisoners from various Indian prisons to J&K jails.” Tarigami, echoing similar sentiments, stated that inmates such as Shabir Ahmed Shah are gravely ill in prison and that their release is now a foregone conclusion.
“There will be no compromise on Article 370 and Article 35 A,” said Muzaffar Shah, vice-president of the Awami National Conference.
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Kashmir News Observer (KNO) is a news agency in Jammu and Kashmir.
