India / Want J&K to be India's bridge of peace with China, Pak: Mehbooba

Jammu: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday said her party wants Jammu and Kashmir to be a bridge of peace between India and its neighbours Pakistan and China and this is a formula which the government will have to adopt.

Addressing the media after talking to an invited group of youth from Jammu and Kashmir, she referred to border tensions with China and Pakistan. She said China had made attempts to transgress Line of Actual Control.

She said PDP wants Jammu and Kashmir "should become a bridge of peace" and referred to the views of her late father and former Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed.

"Be it our neighbouring nations like Pakistan or China...China tried to enter LAC, I believe Muftiji's dream of making Jammu and Kashmir a bridge between India and its neighbours is a formula, which government will have to adopt," she said.

The PDP leader said her party will go to any length to protect the future of the youth of Jammu and Kashmir.

She alleged that laws were "being imposed" on people and "we won't tolerate it".

"To protect the future of Kashmiri youth, we will go to any length. Earlier all laws were made in consultation with the public and they were people-friendly. But now, laws are being imposed on Kashmiris which are against their existence and we won't tolerate it," she said.

The PDP leader said they discussed political and economic situation following the abrogation of Article 370 with the youth.

"I wanted to know the political and economic situation in different parts of Jammu and Kashmir. We got to know that due to abrogation of Article 370, they are facing problems. Along with that, the policies of the central government have also been anti-people," she alleged.

The PDP leader said her party will stand with the youth and will be in the front in the struggle for normalcy in the region.

He said domicile and land laws have been changed "which is creating a lot of trouble for people".

"Recently they said that people can be retired after 22 years of service, and then they changed the domicile and land laws, which is creating a lot of trouble for people. We told the youth that PDP is ready to face any problem. The youth is with me. I will fight for their future," the PDP chief said.