Poonch/Jammu: Asserting that the Jammu and Kashmir issue should not be seen only through the prism of terror and security, Peoples Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday called on all the parties in the country to build a political consensus to ensure everlasting peace in the region.
She also demanded that all those who lost their lives in the recent Pakistani shelling should be declared as “martyrs” and their families along with those injured be adequately compensated.
“I have been saying that war is no solution to any issue. It is a loss to both the warring sides because of the killing of innocent people. If 12-year-old twins Zaid and Urwa lost their lives on this side, seven-year-old Irtiza Abbas was killed across the border,” the former chief minister told reporters in Poonch.
Mufti visited the town worst-hit by Pakistani shelling after Operation Sindoor, and went to the houses of people who lost their lives between May 7 and 10.
“An understanding has been reached but we have to work hard to maintain peace on the borders. Both the countries have to make investment in peace so that such a situation never arises again,” she said, adding, “We had a military conflict and now it is time to give peace a chance, and India has to take an initiative in this regard.”
The PDP leader also said India is a prosperous and fast-developing country and its economy is like an elephant, but the Kashmir issue is like a chain in one of its legs.
“Kashmir should not be viewed through the prism of terrorism or security alone… It should be seen in accordance with former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s statements stressing its solution through humanity,” she said.
Referring to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, Mufti said Kashmiris observed a strike and protested the killings of 26 innocent persons.
“The Kashmiris have walked one step. Now it is the turn of the government to take two steps,” she said.
“India has to play the role of big brother and look into the reasons why our neighbouring countries like Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Maldives are running away.
“We are talking about the role of our prime minister as a global leader, which is not possible unless we are able to bring our neighbours closer,” Mufti said.
The opposition parties, especially the Congress, have a big role to play because its leader and former prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru treated J&K like the crown of India.
“The crown is torn into pieces and J&K is blood stained. Instead of teasing the government over a ceasefire through a third country, which facilitated the return of the border residents, all parties must come together and build a consensus like the post-Pahalgam attack and see how peace could be restored in the region through peaceful means,” she said.
Calling for an end to “war mongering” in the country, Mufti said all such people should visit the areas hit by shelling to get a firsthand account of the situation.
She also lashed out at those who dubbed one of the shelling victims, Moulvi Iqbal, as a terrorist and said those sitting in AC rooms and questioning the halt in military action should be settled in the border villages along with their families.
Poonch was worst-hit by Pakistani shelling as the district administration failed to take requisite measures after the Indian armed forces carried out missile strikes in the neighbouring country on May 7, Mufti claimed.
“Pakistan was expected to retaliate. The people of Poonch town were caught unawares, resulting in the highest number of casualties and massive destruction,” she said.
She also said that all those killed in Pakistani shelling should be declared “national martyrs” and their next of kin should be given government jobs.
A sum of Rs 50 lakh should also be given to the people who lost their houses, Mufti said.
BJP slams PDP for questioning withholding of some media outlets’ X accounts
The BJP on Wednesday hit out at the PDP after its leader Iltija Mufti raised questions on withholding of X accounts of some media outlets including Global Times and Xinhua in India, saying “Muftis have shown where their heart belongs”.
The X handles of China’s Global Times and Xinhua showed that it has been withheld in India in response to a legal request.
This came against the backdrop of Beijing announcing Chinese names for some places in Arunachal Pradesh, which the neighbouring country claims as the southern part of Tibet.
In a post on X, Mufti wrote, “Global Times, Xinhua News & TRT World blocked in India. Closer to home @KashmirLife & FreePressK have been withheld.”
“What are we trying to conceal from the Indian public & Aam Aadmi (common man) that the world already knows?” she asked, adding that “democracy without freedom is demon-crazy”.
Reacting sharply to the PDP leader’s comments, BJP national spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari said in a post on X, “From backing Pakistan to China the Muftis have shown where their heart belongs.”
India on Wednesday outrightly rejected as “vain and preposterous” China renaming some places in Arunachal Pradesh and said such attempts will not alter the “undeniable” reality that the state “was, is, and will” always remain an integral part of India.
“We have noticed that China has persisted with its vain and preposterous attempts to name places in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh,” External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.
“Consistent with our principled position, we reject such attempts categorically,” he said.
“Creative naming will not alter the undeniable reality that Arunachal Pradesh was, is, and will always remain an integral and inalienable part of India,” Jaiswal said.
