Srinagar: Former Chief Minister and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti today said the Supreme Court’s reference to the Pahalgam terror attack, while discussing the grant of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, underscores the Government of India’s continued lack of confidence in the region’s stability.
The Supreme Court today sought the central government’s response in 8 weeks on Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood petition filed by Zahoor Ahmed Bhat and Khurshid Ahmad Malik. The Supreme Court asked petitioners to be aware of “ground realities like the Pahalgam terror attack.”
“SC’s reference to recent Pahalgam terror attack in the context of granting statehood to Jammu and Kashmir underscores a deeper issue about GOIs ( Government of India’s) continued lack of confidence in the region’s stability,” Mehbooba said in a post on X.
She said even after revoking J&K’s special status & reducing it to a Union Territory, the Centre “appears unwilling to ease its tight control.”
“ This reflects a deeper political and psychological deadlock. PDP maintains that the Jammu and Kashmir issue goes far beyond questions of statehood or constitutional status. Unless New Delhi engages with the political aspirations of the people and addresses the core issue head-on it will remain on uncertain footing regardless of the force it deploys,” she said.
She added that it was time for the Central government to “correct past missteps and initiate a sincere process of dialogue and reconciliation to bring lasting peace and dignity to the region.”
