The main Opposition party in Jammu & Kashmir—National Conference (NC)—has expressed concern over escalation in Indo-Pak hostility and absence of a meaningful political initiative over the current political situation in the State. Omar Farooq said that mass arrests and widespread curbs in the State will only deepen the sense of alienation among the youth and take them further away from the goal of peace and reconciliation.
In a joint statement NC president Farooq Abdullah and Working president Omar Abdullah said that the recent indications of New Delhi taking steps to increase military presence and re-establish military camps and bunkers in Kashmir have augmented the sense of disaffection and scepticism in the State. They claimed that multiple visits by the Union Home Minister as well as the visit by the Parliamentary All Parties’ Delegation has yielded no result and failed to create a conducive atmosphere for the initiation of a sustainable and meaningful political process.
The Abdullahs said New Delhi’s “refusal” to take concrete and visible steps to address the internal dimensions of the political issue in J&K, even within the often articulated ‘framework of the Constitution of India’ has become a diplomatic weakness that is exploited time and again at various international fora. The NC leaders said that lack of a structured and sustained bilateral engagement between New Delhi and Islamabad over the last few years has also created a political vacuum that threatens peace in the region.
Reports said Member Parliament Tariq Hameed Karra who recently announced to quit the lok Sabha and Peoples Democratic Party said that he has sent hard copy of his resignation to the lok Sabha secretariat.