Hold talks with new Pakistan government to end bloodshed in J&K: Mehbooba Mufti to Centre

The PDP leader had called for holding talks with the Imran Khan government in Pakistan for peace in J&K.

JAMMU: Former chief minister and People's Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday reiterated the demand for talks between Indian and Pakistan to end the bloodshed in her state Jammu and Kashmir.

''I appeal to our Prime Minister to hold dialogue with new Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and resume talks from where former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ji had left, so that violence in the Valley can come to an end,''Mehbooba Mufti said.

I appeal to our Prime Minister to hold dialogue with new Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and resume talks from where Vajpayee Ji had left, so that violence in the valley can come to an end: Former #JammuAndKashmir CM Mehbooba Mufti in Rajouri pic.twitter.com/LOB1I5LFBg — ANI (@ANI) September 4, 2018

The PDP leader made this remarks while speaking to reporters in J&K's Rajouri.

Mufti had sometimes back said that both the terrorists and security forces were victimising each other’s families which is highly condemnable and marks a new low in the situation of the state. 

She said that the families shouldn’t become the target of casualties and made to suffer for something they have little control over.

The statement by the former chief minister of the state came shortly after at least nine people, whose family members are working in the Jammu and Kashmir Police and the Army, were kidnapped and later released by terrorists from Shopian, Kulgam, Anantnag and Awantipora in the state.

"Terrorists and forces victimising each other’s families is highly condemnable and marks a new low in our situation. Families shouldn’t become casualties and made to suffer for something they have little control over," she said.

Hitting out at the ruling BJP, the PDP president Mehbooba Mufti had recently said that her party's alliance with the saffron party was like drinking poison. She said that she had suffered throughout the course of the coalition government in the state.

Referring to her late father Mufti Mohammed Sayeed, the former J&K chief minister said that he chose to join hands with the saffron party for a second time because they had a good alliance during the reign of Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

"Mufti Sahab agreed to join hands with BJP again because we had a good alliance during Vajpayee ji reign. But this time, it was a difficult decision. Forming an alliance with BJP was like drinking poison. I suffered during the two years two months of the PDP-BJP alliance," Mehbooba Mufti said.

Mehbooba's government came under fire after BJP pulled out of the three-year-old ruling coalition with PDP and called for Governor's Rule in the state, forcing her to resign as the chief minister.

The BJP decided to pull out of the coalition government owing to the former's alleged soft posturing towards separatists and stone-pelters.

Mufti's party was also reportedly against the Centre's decision to revoke the temporary suspension of anti-terror operations announced during the holy month of Ramzan.