Mehbooba Mufti says dialogue with all stakeholders only way to ensure peace in Jammu and Kashmir

Srinagar: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti Wednesday said a result-oriented dialogue with all stakeholders is the only way to make peace in Jammu and Kashmir permanent. [caption id=“attachment_5654881” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti. PTI[/caption] “The PDP has always been a staunch advocate of the political process for the resolution of Kashmir (issue) and has been asking the government of India to hold meaningful dialogue with the Hurriyat, Pakistan and with other stakeholders,” Mehbooba said at a party workers’ convention in central Kashmir’s Bandipora. “A result-oriented dialogue with all stakeholders is the only way to make peace in Jammu and Kashmir permanent,” she said. The former chief minister said past decades showed that a muscular approach would not work in the state. “This muscular approach and political patchwork will not take us anywhere as this has been tried for many decades and hasn’t yielded any positive outcome,” Mehbooba said. “It is unfortunate that some people still believe in the efficacy of these methods and are trying to repeat the old mistakes which will be meaningless and will prove counterproductive,” she added. Mehbooba said people were well aware of the policies of her party and how it had always preferred to stick to its principles over power. Speaking about Article 35A of the Constitution, she said it could not be challenged in any court of law. “The state of Jammu and Kashmir, as part of the Republic (of India), secured its unique position and the same cannot, in any way, be contested in any court of law,” the PDP chief said. “Article 35A is a matter of life and death for the people of J&K and no one has the authority to challenge the very identity of people of the state in any court across the world,” Mehbooba said. The Supreme Court is hearing a bench of petitions challenging the constitutional validity of Article 35A, which accords special rights and privileges to the citizens of Jammu and Kashmir and bars non-residents from acquiring any immovable property in the state.