PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday asked Home Minister Amit Shah to establish a joint committee of representatives from both sides of Kashmir in India and Pakistan to address regional issues.
Speaking at the 25th Foundation Day function of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Mufti remarked, “Amit Shah says he will bring back that Kashmir (Pakistan-occupied Kashmir) even as you tell us Muslims to go to Pakistan. But I have a request for you.
“Till the time you bring that part back, form a committee of the representatives of this Kashmir and that Kashmir, and bring us together. We will sit together twice a year and discuss the issues we face.”
Mufti called on Shah to set aside his “ego” for the nation’s benefit and facilitate a meeting between representatives from both sides of the Line of Control (LoC), similar to efforts made by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
“Do you have courage, Amit Shah Sahib? You keep saying you will bring back that Kashmir. That Kashmir is far, bring 20 of their representatives and 20 representatives from our side and let us sit together,” Mufti urged.
“Can you do that? Do you have the courage to do that? Do you have such patriotism in you like Vajpayee that you sacrifice your ego for Jammu and Kashmir?” she asked.
The former chief minister also called for reopening cross-LoC routes to enable trade and people-to-people contact.
Mufti also appealed for the release of Kashmiri youth imprisoned across the country. “If you say that the situation has improved here, then why are our youths in jails? Even their cases are not heard in the courts. If you have courage, then release them if the situation has improved.”
“You have to resolve it (J&K) if you want the people not to support self-determination or not to look across, but look towards here, this country,” she added.
Referring to reports of the banned Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) willing to contest assembly polls, Mufti welcomed the move. She expressed happiness at the JeI’s potential return to mainstream politics.
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