Leaders seek an audience with President, PM

Habib Naqash/GK


Agencies / Web Desk / Srinagar

The representatives of all major mainstream political parties today vowed to protect Article 35A and Article 370 and resolved to seek an audience with the President ramnath Kovind and Prime Minister Modi to appeal for safeguarding the special status of Jammu and Kashmir.

Jammu & Kashmir National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah on Sunday urged India and Pakistan not to take steps that will “bring tensions in Kashmir”.

Addressing the meeting after holding an all-party meet at his residence here, Abdullah requested people to maintain peace and said that leaders of all the political parties in the state were united in their “struggle to safeguard the special status of Kashmir”.

The representatives of following political parties held an all parties meeting at the Gupkar Residence of Dr. Farooq Abdullah President JKNC to deliberate upon the prevailing political situation triggered by massive deployment of security forces, advisories issued, abandonment of Amarnath Yatra midway, and forced removal of tourists from the Valley.

Here is the statement issued after the all-party meeting:

The representatives of following political parties held an all parties meeting at the Gupkar Residence of Dr. Farooq Abdullah President JKNC to deliberate upon the prevailing political situation triggered by massive deployment of security forces, advisories issued, abandonment of Amarnath Yatra midway, and forced removal of tourists from the Valley.

The meeting was presided over by Dr. Farooq Abdullah, was attended by, Ms. Mehbooba Mufti, President JKPDP, Patron PDP Muzaffar Hussain Beg, Abdul Rehman Veeri GS PDP, Sajad Ghani Lone Chairman JKPC, Imran Reza Ansari, Abdul Ghani Vakeel, Taj Mohiudin Vice Presidnet JKPCC, M Y Tarigami CPIM, Vice Presidnet JKNC Omar Abdullah, MPs of NC, Justice Hassnain Masoodi, Mohamad Akbar lone, provincial president jknc Nasir Sogami, Shah Faesal, PUF, Ali Mohammad Sagar GS JKNC, Muzaffar Shah ANC, Uzair Ronga PUF, Suhail Bukhari PDP.

Kashmir remained on edge on Sunday as the authorities stepped up security deployment at vital installations and sensitive areas amid heightened terror threat and flare up of hostilities with Pakistan along the Line of Control (LoC).

After the Jammu and Kashmir administration curtailed the Amarnath Yatra and asked pilgrims and tourists to leave the valley at the earliest on Friday, anxious residents continue to throng markets to stock on essentials and serpentine queues have been visible outside shops and fuel stations.

Mehbooba said the leaders of various political parties had decided to meet at a hotel here, but the police asked it not to allow any political meeting in its premises

“The political parties here had decided to hold a meeting at a hotel today. But, police has issued an advisory to all hotels not to let political parties hold any meeting in their premises.