Referring to recent remarks by RSS leader Dattatreya Hosabale, Mufti said, “A senior leader of RSS gave a statement that there should be dialogue with Pakistan.” (File image)
While calling for dialogue with Pakistan, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to start the process as “no one will question him”.
Mufti also reiterated her party’s stance, backing the reopening of trade routes between Kashmir and POK and the revocation of strict laws like the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), Public Safety Act (PSA) and the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).
Referring to recent remarks by RSS leader Dattatreya Hosabale, Mufti said, “A senior leader of RSS gave a statement that there should be dialogue with Pakistan.”
“It is very good to have dialogue with Pakistan, open the (cross-border) roads built… Eid is coming; release our prisoners, reopen the trade on Muzaffarabad-Uri and Poonch-Rawlakote trade points, open new roads. The Army that is posted in civilian areas, send them back to the barracks; return at least two power projects to us. Initiate dialogue with Pakistan and the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” she said.
Mufti said Prime Minister Modi can resolve the Kashmir issue as he has the “power of the people”.
“We (PDP) are an open secret, we don’t call for a plebiscite, we say open the roads with the other Kashmir, Pakistan, China and Central Asia so that people can breathe freedom. (We say), end this UAPA, PSA and AFSPA. If you say the situation has improved, then (try to) heal the wounds of people,” Mufti told reporters after her party’s convention in Srinagar, adding, “Modi ji can do it because there is a great power of the people behind him. No one will question him. He went to Lahore, nobody questioned him; he sent a team of senior leaders to talk to the Hurriyat, no one asked a question.”
Mufti further said, “If Modi ji wants a name for himself in the world and that his name remains etched in history, he has a golden opportunity to resolve the Kashmir issue, heal the wounds of the people and make Pakistan participate in it.”
Bashaarat Masood is a Special Correspondent with The Indian Express. He has been covering Jammu and Kashmir, especially the conflict-ridden Kashmir valley, for two decades. Bashaarat joined The Indian Express after completing his Masters in Mass Communication and Journalism from the University in Kashmir. He has been writing on politics, conflict and development. Bashaarat was awarded with the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards in 2012 for his stories on the Pathribal fake encounter.
Expertise and Experience
Two Decades of Frontline Reporting: Bashaarat has spent 20 years documenting the evolution of Kashmir, from high-intensity conflict and political shifts to socio-economic development.
Award-Winning Investigative Journalism: He is a recipient of the prestigious Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award (2012). This honor was bestowed for his reporting on the Pathribal fake encounter, a series of stories that highlighted his ability to handle sensitive human rights and security issues with investigative rigor.
Specialized Beats: His authoritative coverage spans:
Political Transitions: Tracking the shift from statehood to Union Territory, electoral dynamics, and the pulse of local governance.
Security & Conflict: Providing nuanced reporting on counter-insurgency, civil liberties, and the impact of the conflict on the civilian population.
Development: Documenting the infrastructure, healthcare, and educational landscape within the Valley.
Academic Background: He holds a Masters in Mass Communication and Journalism from the University of Kashmir, providing him with a localized academic and professional foundation that is rare in regional reporting. ... Read More
