Make J&K bridge of friendship, not theatre of war: Mehbooba

Srinagar, May 31: People’s Democratic Party (PDP) President and former Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday reiterated her party’s commitment to peace and dialogue, warning against the rising tide of war rhetoric that continues to impact the people of the region.
Addressing party workers here, Mehbooba said Jammu and Kashmir has always borne the brunt of war and violence, comparing the region to “grass trampled under the feet of two fighting elephants.”
“The PDP will continue to raise its voice for peace and channel the sentiments of the people. We must end the spectre of war so that people can plan their lives and revive the economy. Jammu and Kashmir should be a bridge of understanding, friendship, and cooperation — not a theatre for war,” she said in her address, according to a party’s statement issued here.
Reacting strongly to recent remarks by the National Conference (NC) leadership, including party patriarch Dr Farooq Abdullah’s call for intensified military action against Pakistan, Mufti said such statements reflect a dangerous mindset.
She said, “When the Indus Water Treaty was put in abeyance by the Government of India, it was Chief Minister Omar Abdullah who hailed the move and even advocated for an immediate halt to water supplies to Pakistan. We are not Yazeeds. We may have political differences with the government of Pakistan, but not with its people. It is saddening that such remarks are being made by the leader of the only Muslim-majority state in the country.”
The PDP Chief further criticised Dr Abdullah for reportedly supporting assaults “more brutal than the Balakot strike”. “These leaders want more war and more dead bodies. It is, however, only the PDP that has consistently advocated for an end to hostilities and has spoken for the people’s right to live a life of dignity,” she said.
Reflecting on the 2014 coalition formation, Mehbooba recalled that her father, the late Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, entered the alliance not for power but for the greater good. “It was a sacrifice meant to pull the region out of uncertainty. Our agenda has always been peace and improved Indo-Pak relations,” she said.
Mufti also took a dig at the NC, saying the party is making constant attempts to appease the BJP “at the cost of people’s interests and their own mandate”.
“The same minister who introduced the Waqf Bill was later welcomed and garlanded in Kashmir by the NC leadership. The NC, despite having 50 MLAs, didn’t even allow a resolution to be passed in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly against the Waqf amendment,” she said.
Mufti claimed that the PDP is not in politics for power. “Mufti Sahab used his limited tenure to end draconian laws like POTA and dismantle the Task Force. Today, while others chase power, we remain committed to giving the people of Jammu and Kashmir a dignified future,” she said.