From PAGD's ashes, PAJK rises to spearhead J&K's battle for Article-370 & good governance: Muzzafar Shah
'Will urge National Parties to include Article 370 in manifestos'
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Srinagar, April 13 (RNA) : Senior leaders of the former Peoples Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) today announced the formation of a new political front, the People's Alliance for Jammu And Kashmir (PAJK), aimed at reinvigorating the struggle for the restoration of Articles 370 and 35-A.
Addressing a press conference today, JK Awami National Conference Senior Vice President Muzaffar Shah lambasted the erstwhile PAGD for losing touch with public sentiment and deliberate erosion of the noble cause of regaining J&K's special constitutional status.
He underscored the importance of today's meeting terming it as a pivotal moment in J&K's history while simultaneously expressing hope with the growing support from various political factions for the Peoples Alliance for Jammu & Kashmir (PAJK).
Shah informed that notable political entities like Mission Statehood, Jammu Kashmir People's Party, Jammu Muslim Front, former MP Abdul Rashid Shaheen, Shia Federation Jammu and others have united under this new Alliance.
"The former PAGD Alliance's indifference to the pulse of the public and its deliberate erosion of the noble struggle for the reinstatement of Article 370 and 35-A has led us to an impasse," Shah stated.
He said that with unwavering determination, we shall forge a new path under the banner of PAJK, dedicated to upholding the cherished dignity and constitutional rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
The newly formed PAJK has firmly resolved to actively campaign for restoration of the abrogated Articles 370 and 35-A, which granted special status to J&K.
It aims to engage all opposition parties across India to champion this cause, which the Awami National Conference had originally spearheaded within PAGD.
Recognizing the formidable caliber of their candidates across the Kashmir division, PAJK will deliberate on strategic participation in parliamentary elections to amplify voices seeking constitutional rights. A key priority is to appeal to national parties like Congress to explicitly endorse Article 370 in their manifestos.
Shah emphasized that the call for reinstating Article 370 resonates strongly not just in Kashmir valley but also in Jammu region and Ladakh, which had earlier enjoyed safeguards under Schedule 6 linked to Article 35-A.
He reminded that Article 370 originally championed by Maharaja Hari Singh and advocated by the Dogra and Kashmiri Pandits carries profound historical significance, the reverberations of its abrogation palpable today.
Outlining PAJK's broader vision, Shah affirmed the alliance's commitment to pursue dignified repatriation of Kashmiri Pandits to their ancestral land and ensure governance focused on uplifting the people of J&K, inspired by the ideals of Sher-e-Kashmir Sheikh Abdullah and exemplified by Ghulam Mohammad Shah.
"We pledge to prioritize governance that uplifts and alleviates the plight of the people of J&K, with an unwavering commitment to prevent the shedding of innocent blood," he stated.
"Today's undertaking is nothing short of safeguarding our constitutional legacy," Shah affirmed in his concluding remarks, "For failure to do so may relegate us to mere inhabitants of houses and proprietors of shops, bereft of our inherent rights."