RAJOURI: Independent MLA from Thanamandi constituency in Rajouri district, Muzaffar Iqbal Khan, stated on January 17 that the people of Chenab Valley and Pir Panjal region do not support the demand for separate statehood for Jammu, describing it as a call raised by fringe elements.
Speaking to reporters in Rajouri, the former judge-turned-legislator argued that if Jammu continues to press for separate statehood, then the Chenab Valley—comprising Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban districts—and the Pir Panjal region—covering Rajouri and Poonch—should also be granted separate statehood to address historical imbalances.
According to details received by The Chenab Times, Khan alleged that major institutions and development projects are consistently allocated to Jammu city and plains while areas like Rajouri, Poonch, Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban receive little to nothing in comparison. He cited examples such as the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and Indian Institute of Management (IIM) being established in Jammu, with comparable large-scale facilities absent in the hilly border districts.
The MLA emphasized that these regions have faced prolonged discrimination and neglect in terms of development and institutional allocation. He said the continued imbalance has deepened regional discontent and that the distinct geographical, social and developmental challenges in Chenab Valley and Pir Panjal warrant separate administrative consideration rather than being sidelined within any broader Jammu framework.
“If Jammu has the right to demand a separate state, then the people of Pir Panjal also have the right to demand a separate statehood of their own,” Khan said, adding that such a move would better serve the aspirations and needs of local populations in these remote, mountainous areas.
Khan, who defeated a Bharatiya Janata Party candidate in the 2024 Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections to win the Thanamandi seat as an Independent, has been a Member of the Legislative Assembly since then. His remarks reflect ongoing debates in Jammu division over regional equity following the 2019 reorganization of the erstwhile state into Union Territories.
The statement comes amid periodic demands from some groups in the Jammu plains for separate statehood or greater administrative autonomy, often citing perceived dominance of Kashmir Valley in political and developmental matters. In contrast, leaders from Pir Panjal and Chenab Valley have frequently highlighted their own marginalization, including inadequate representation, poor infrastructure connectivity, limited access to higher education and healthcare facilities, and underinvestment in tourism and employment-generating sectors.
Khan’s position highlights the complex fault lines within Jammu division itself, where the Dogra-majority plains and the Muslim-majority hilly border regions hold differing views on future administrative arrangements. The MLA’s call for potential separate statehood for Pir Panjal and Chenab Valley, if Jammu pursues division, adds another layer to discussions on decentralization and equitable resource distribution in Jammu and Kashmir.
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The Chenab Times News Desk
