Srinagar: The PDP on Saturday released its manifesto for the Assembly elections, promising to pursue the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir to its “original status”, and advocate for confidence-building measures (CBMs) and regional cooperation between India and Pakistan.
The manifesto was released during a function at the party headquarters here by PDP president Mehbooba Mufti along with senior leaders of the party.
“The PDP is resolute in its pursuit of restoring the constitutional guarantees that were unjustly scrapped, and is committed to restoring Jammu & Kashmir to its original status, ensuring that the voices of its people are heard and their rights are safeguarded,” it said.
The manifesto said the “unconstitutional and illegal revocation” of Articles 370 and 35A in 2019 has “further complicated the Kashmir issue, deepening the alienation felt by the people of the region”.
It said the PDP firmly believes that meaningful engagement is the only way forward.
The party put thrust on improving relations between India and Pakistan, promising to advocate for diplomatic initiatives between the two neighbours, emphasising conflict resolution, CBMs, and regional cooperation.
The manifesto titled ‘People’s Aspirations’ promised to establish full connectivity across the Line of Control (LoC) for trade and social exchange.
It advocated for a regional free-trade area and shared economic market.
The party strives for the opening of old and traditional trade routes to central and south Asia through Jammu and Kashmir, it said.
The manifesto strives for revocation of the Public Safety Act (PSA), Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and Enemy Act, and said it committed for the revocation of Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA).
It also promises to revisit and address the cases of “unjust” job terminations — referring to the sacking of J&K government employees over terror abetment charges.
Promising to protect the land and employment rights of the people of J&K, the party said locals will have the first right in all government tenders as well as mining contracts.
It said if elected to power, the party would accelerate the process to identify and fill all government vacancies on a fast-track basis within one year.
“Sixty thousand daily-wagers to be regularised within one year,” the manifesto read, adding to launch initiatives to create jobs in key sectors like tourism, agriculture, and technology.
On the issue of the return and rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits, the PDP’s manifesto said the party is committed to the dignified return of Kashmiri Pandits to their homeland, “ensuring they are welcomed back as honoured members of our community”.
“We will strive to take all the stakeholders on board to secure an end to this humanitarian crisis. This is not just a return, but a restoration of the cultural and spiritual essence of Kashmir,” it said.
The party promised revoking the current one-BHK scheme to minimum allocation of two-BHK apartments for every returning family, and to strive that Kashmiri Pandits are the first beneficiaries of the Centre’s scheme of five marlas of land for landless families.
It also said the party would advocate for the opening and promotion of Sharda Peeth across the LoC as a full-fledged religious pilgrimage site.
“This initiative aims to reconnect people with their cultural and religious heritage, fostering greater understanding and peace between communities on both sides of the LoC,” it added.
The manifesto promised 200 free units of electricity to every household, free water, 12 gas cylinders every year to economically weaker sections of society, abolition of property tax for all households and stamp duty for women purchasing property. (With inputs from PTI)
Mufti pledges support to Congress-NC alliance if they accept PDP agenda!
The PDP will extend complete support to the Congress-NC alliance and leave all seats in the Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections to the coalition if it is ready to accept the party’s agenda, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti said on Saturday.
Mufti also ruled out an alliance with the BJP, with which the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) had earlier run a coalition government.
“Forget about alliance and seat-sharing, if the Congress and the National Conference (NC) are ready to accept our agenda — that resolution of the Kashmir issue is necessary and on opening of routes — we will tell them to contest on all the seats and we will follow you,” she said.
“Because, for me, the resolution of the Kashmir problem is much more important than anything else,” she added when asked if the Congress had approached the PDP for an alliance.
Mufti was talking to reporters following the release of the PDP’s manifesto for the assembly elections.
NC chief Farooq Abdullah has announced a pre-poll alliance with the Congress for the assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, which is going to the polls for the first time since the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019.
Polls to the 90-member assembly will be held in three phases — September 18, September 25 and October 01. The counting of votes will be held on October 04.
Mufti, the PDP president, said the dignity of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, which “was being trampled on”, was important for her party.
“Whether you give me three or four seats, it does not mean anything to me. When we entered into an alliance with either the Congress or the BJP, it was on our agenda. The NC and the Congress have not entered into an alliance on any agenda but for seat-sharing and we will not talk of such an alliance, which only talks about seat-sharing,” she said.
“Our alliance should be based on an agenda and our agenda is to find a resolution to the Jammu and Kashmir issue… No doubt within the Constitution of this country but a resolution,” she added.
Asked if there could be a post-poll alliance between the PDP and the BJP, Mufti said, “There is nothing like that. We had joined hands with the BJP government and not the party and we had put a condition that they would not touch Article 370.”
Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir were last held in November 2014, resulting in the PDP and the BJP forming a coalition government led by Mufti Mohammed Sayeed.
His death in 2016 led to his daughter Mehbooba Mufti taking up the mantle of leadership as chief minister of the coalition government.
The BJP pulled out of the government in June 2018 and the state was put under governor’s rule.
On August 05, 2019, the BJP-led Centre abrogated the special status of Jammu and Kashmir and reorganised the erstwhile state into two Union territories — Ladakh, and Jammu and Kashmir. (With inputs from PTI)
