Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir): Amid a mass exodus of leaders from the People's Democratic Party ahead of the crucial assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, party President and former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday unveiled her party’s manifesto for the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections offering “reconciliation”, trade revival, and the resolution of the Kashmir issue. Mehbooba announced that the PDP would unconditionally support the National Conference (NC) and Congress alliance if they adopt the PDP's agenda, highlighting the party’s commitment to addressing the broader issues facing the region.
“We are releasing our manifesto today, and as usual, since the beginning of PDP, it has started for a cause,” Mehbooba stated at the party headquarters in Srinagar. “We have always worked for resolution and reconciliation. After the abrogation of Article 370, the situation has worsened in Jammu and Kashmir. The Kashmir issue is much bigger than seat sharing, and it still remains unresolved.”
Mehbooba criticized the current political discourse for reducing the Kashmir issue to mere seat sharing and elections. She emphasized that the PDP’s manifesto goes beyond electoral gains, focusing instead on comprehensive reconciliation and restoring trade across the Line of Control (LoC). The manifesto includes a wide array of promises, such as providing 200 units of free electricity to all citizens, relaxing stamp duty for women— a benefit that was rescinded by the government—and imposing a 100 percent import duty on apples to protect local farmers.
“Dialogue, opening of roads and trade were started by the PDP. Jammu and Kashmir is not only about seat sharing, Article 370, or elections, but much more,” Mehbooba remarked. “Our first point in the manifesto is about reconciliation and resolution, along with restoring trade across the LoC. We are also committed to ending the misuse of laws like the Public Safety Act (PSA) and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) against civilians and journalists.”