'Will talk about Jammu & Kashmir; Pakistan not agenda': Mehbooba Mufti on PM Modi's meet

Hours after batting for talks with Pakistan, former Chief Minister of Jammu & Kashmir and President of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Mehbooba Mufti has now said that she will speak of J&K during the all-party meeting called by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, not Pakistan, as it is not agenda there. Mehbooba Mufti, who was on a visit to her father’s final resting place in her hometown Bijbehara in Anantnag, while replying to questions on her statement for talks with Pakistan, said that is not agenda there, will speak of Jammu & Kashmir.

Mehbooba Mufti on PM Modi's Kashmir meet

Earlier in the day, PDP Chief Mehbooba Mufti while addressing media at the residence of People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) Chairman Farooq Abdullah, batted for talks with Pakistan and said, “If they (India) can go to Doha and talk to the Taliban, they should have a dialogue with us and with Pakistan too in order to bring about a resolution”

“Mufti Mohd Syed always batted for dialogue. The Prime Minister called for a meeting on J&K, we do not know their agenda, but we know our agenda. What happened on August 5, 2019, and J&Ks special status was abrogated unconstitutionally, people have fallen apart,” she added.

Mehbooba further added, “People are in anger and sadness. There is pressure on people of J&K as legal action is being taken against those who speak. The loss we suffered in the past two years will also be there in discussion”.

People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration has made it very clear that they will be taking up demand for restoration of Article 370 and 35A in Jammu and Kashmir to restore August 4, 2019 status. “The main issue is an unconstitutional abrogation of Article 370 and 35A. There was no confusion, I wanted to discuss; our people in jails in parts of the country should be released. Those who can’t be set free should be shifted to J&K. They should have CBM, that didn’t happen but we don’t want to do anything that hampers these talks,” the PDP chief added.

After initial flip-flops, Mehbooba Mufti to agreed to be part of the all-party meeting called by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Earlier, she was not of the view to attend the meeting and wanted that representatives from People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration should represent them before the Prime Minister.

(Image: PTI)