KNZ NEWS DESK
Peoples Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti Friday said that that there was a need to find an alternative to the idea of “Azad Kashmir” within the framework of the Indian Constitution.
“There is total distrust and disconnect between people of Kashmir and Delhi. They look inwards or outwards (outside the border) for support,” She said.
She was speaking at an event titled “The Way Forward” organized by Observer Research Foundation (ORF), Mumbai.
The former cheif minister said that the period between 2002-05 was a golden period of Kashmir, since for the first time the CM of the state and PM of India were on the same page.
She, however, termed the joining of handing with BJP a suicide.
“It was suicide, but we put everything on the line because we hoped that Modi will pick up where Vajpayee ji left. Unfortunately, Modi ji could not rise to the occasion,” she said.
Maintaining that governance was only possible when there is peace, Mehbooba said that Kashmiris are the sufferers.
“Till when will our people keep witnessing this farce of people getting killed?” Mehbooba said.
She said that SAARC countries were being held hostage to the hostility between India and Pakistan. PDP president said that all the SAARC nations must come together and make Jammu & Kashmir a model of cooperation.
“It is for the country to rise up, reach to the Kashmiris and find a solution,” she said.
