Three parties announce new political alliance in Kashmir

Srinagar, Jun 30: In a major political realignment, three regional parties on Monday announced the formation of a new coalition – the People’s Alliance for Change (PAC).The alliance comprises Sajad Lone-led Peoples Conference (PC), Hakeem Mohammad Yaseen-led People’s Democratic Front (PDF) and the newly formed Justice and Development Front (JDF).It was unveiled at a joint press conference here, where leaders from all three parties signed and adopted a common political roadmap titled the “Declaration for Change”. The declaration calls for the restoration of Articles 370 and 35-A, full statehood, general amnesty for political prisoners and conflict-affected youth, and a renewed push for transparent, people-first governance.Presiding over the conference, Sajad Lone described the alliance as a “moral and political necessity” to amplify the voices of those he said have been consistently marginalised over the past three decades. “The most politically empowered state was reduced to a Union Territory on August 5, 2019. This disempowerment demands a response rooted not in privilege, but in the pain of the people,” he said in his address.Lone, an MLA from Handwara and former minister in the 2014–2018 PDP-BJP coalition, has recently taken an increasingly combative stance against both the Centre and local political actors. Aiming at the Omar Abdullah-led National Conference government, Lone accused it of overseeing a “systematic sidelining of Kashmiris” in public sector recruitment.Citing a recently released list of junior assistant appointments in which only 5 out of 26 selected candidates were from Kashmir, the PC chief charged that “reservation has become a regional issue, deliberately structured to marginalise Kashmiris”. He warned that the blending of “vote politics” with reservation policy was becoming a recipe for long-term social and political instability.“This is no longer an exception; it’s a pattern. The silence of traditional parties is enabling injustice. If we don’t speak the truth now, our youth will continue to suffer in silence,” he said.The Declaration for Change outlines a comprehensive commitment to justice, constitutional rights, and inclusive development. It pledges to move beyond the “comfort of elite political circles” and instead champion grassroots concerns, education, entrepreneurship, youth welfare, and rehabilitation of those impacted by years of conflict.Describing the PAC as more than a political arrangement, Lone called it the beginning of a “larger political alternative” and invited other like-minded parties to join the platform. “This is not a moment. It is a movement from changelessness to change,” he said.PDF chairman Hakeem Mohammad Yaseen said the alliance is built on a unified, transparent, and principled foundation. “We will not speak in different voices—one in Kashmir, another in Jammu, and a third in Delhi. This alliance is rooted in truth and accountability,” he stated. Yaseen also reaffirmed the bloc’s focus on healing the scars of the past and restoring dignity to the people.PC general secretary Moulvi Imran Reza Ansari said the alliance is responding to a growing public disillusionment. “The current and past governments have only offered theatrics. If they had addressed real issues, there would be no need for this alliance,” he said, calling for a shift from tokenism to real solutions.JDF president Shamim Ahmad Thoker echoed Lone’s sentiment, stressing that those who inflicted suffering cannot be its rightful representatives. “Pain is deeply personal. It cannot be understood, let alone represented, by those who have never borne it,” he said. Referring to their shared political heritage, the Thoker said leaders like Abdul Gani Lone – the PC chief’s late father – had long championed similar values.The launch was attended by a wide array of senior leaders from all three parties, signalling a serious political realignment.