Equitable development of Jammu, Ladakh, Kashmir is our goal: Mir
By News Agency of Kashmir,
Srinagar : Former Jammu and Kashmir Minister and rebel Peoples Democratic Party founder member Ghulam Hassan Mir launched a new political party named Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Party. Mir is the sitting legislator from north Kashmir’s prestigious Tangmarg constituency.
He won the 2002 election on a PDP ticket. The rebel leader has long maintained that the PDP was “no more a democratic party” and had turned into a fiefdom of former Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and his daughter and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti.
Hassan Mir in the middle
“The J&K Democratic Party with its urban and rural base would work for permanent peace in the state by achieving political, economic and social rights of the people with emphasis on economic self-reliance,” Mir said, addressing a media conference here Wednesday.
“Naam Roshan Ho Apni Riyasat Ka, Ayee Agaz Karain Aisi Siyasat Ka (Let us now start a kind of politics that brings glory to the state),” said Mir.
He said that with the improvement in the relations of India and Pakistan and a respite from the tension in the state, a space has been generated to address to the genuine problems of the people of state.
Mir said, “Our party shall act as facilitators in the India-Pakistan peace process on Kashmir.” He said that JKDP would work for achieving the goal of ‘self-reliance’ and would not mislead the common masses in the name of emotional slogans.
He said his party would work hard for the equitable development of all three regions of the state — Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh.
Training his guns at the PDP leadership, Mir said the people of the state have been “threatened” emotionally by raising unrealistic and irrelevant issues and fed with hollow slogans.
Mir said that Jammu and Kashmir would emerge as a producer state than a consumer state as it has to bring in each and every commodity from outside. He said that regional parties have turned into personal fiefdoms of a few families and Jammu Kashmir Democratic party would fight against family rule in the state.
Ghulam Hassan Mir had called on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi last week.
He said Singh the pace of development in the state must be matched by addressing the problem of unemployment of local youth.
Sarfaraz Khan, MLA, Beerwah constituency, G.M. Bawan, a former senior Congress leader, Narinder Singh, former JD leader, Varinder Chib and Kuldeep Wahi and others accompanied him.