Pakistan jumps at Farooq & NC's resolution to restore Article 370; adds Congress to mix

Backing the statement of Farooq Abdullah and other political parties of Jammu and Kashmir seeking the restoration of Article 370, Pakistan has said that it is a 'political resistance movement' against the 'BJP RSS government'. Speaking at a press conference, Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that Farooq Abdullah and leaders of Congress - main Opposition party of India- have raised their voice against New Delhi. In yet another attempt to intervene in the issue of the Abrogation of Article 370, Qureshi backed the recently issued statement by J&K leaders who were a part pf Gupkar Declaration on August 4, 2019.

Shah Mahmood Qureshi said:  “This is not an ordinary occurrence but an important development as the joint statement issued by the political parties hold the signatures of Farooq Abdullah and enjoy the support of the Congress party which is the main opposition party in India. Pakistan premier Imran Khan raised the Kashmir issue at every global forum, drawing
the attention of the world leaders over the sensitive matter. The economy of Kashmir is completely ruined. However, thousands of innocent Kashmiris are in captivity since 2019.”

READ |  'Where is Meghalaya?': Omar Abdullah takes dig at 'friend' Satya Pal Malik after transfer

Statement by J&K leaders who had signed Gupkar declaration 

After a meeting at Srinagar MP Farooq Abdullah’s residence on August 22, all these five political parties of Jammu & Kashmir, who were the signatories of Gupkar Declaration of August 4, 2019, unanimously issued a statement for restoration of Article 370. “We are committed to strive for the restoration of Articles 370 and 35A, the Constitution of J&K and the restoration of the state and any division of the state is unacceptable to us. We unanimously reiterate that there can be "nothing about us without us," NC president Farooq Abdullah, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti, JKPCC chief GA Mir, CPI(M) leader MY Tarigami, JKPCC leader Sajad Gani Lone and ANC leader Muzaffar Shah said in a joint statement.

READ |  'Committed to strive for restoration of Art 370, 35A': J&K parties a year after Gupkar

The joint statement said the signatories of the Gupkar Declaration have barely managed to establish a basic level of communication with each other due to a series of prohibitive and punitive curbs imposed by the government, aimed at impeding all social and political interactions. “The limited confabulations held within the constraints imposed have resulted in this unanimous resolution."

Moreover, in their first meeting after a year of hiatus from the political picture of J&K, National Conference said that it is on a sacred mission to restore whatever was snatched from J&K on August 5, 2019. This was in line with the Gupkar Declaration passed on the eve of abrogation of Article 370 (August 4, 2019) at NC patron Farooq Abdullah's residence at Gupkar road. The then statement said: "All the parties would be united in their resolve to protect and defend identity, autonomy and the special status of the J&K against all attacks and onslaughts whatsoever."

READ | 'Aim of the meeting was to check if NC leaders are free as govt claims': Farooq Abdullah 

READ | Sacred mission to restore what was snatched from J&K on August 5: Farooq's & Omar's NC