Mehbooba Mufti voices concern over demographic changes, land use in IIOJK
PDP chief warns post-2019 policies are aggravating public distress
Srinagar: In Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti expressed serious concern over the increasing influx of people from India into the territory and the growing pressure on land and civic life following the Modi regime’s unilateral actions of August 2019.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Mehbooba Mufti, while speaking to reporters in Islamabad town, said that after the abrogation of Article 370, multiple difficulties have emerged for Kashmiri people. She said people from outside Jammu and Kashmir are settling in the territory, which, she added, has led to social stress and a rise in crime, particularly in the Jammu region. She said the PDP was engaging with people to understand their concerns and explore ways to address their hardships.
Earlier, the PDP chief also raised objections to the proposed construction of a complex for Indian forces on fertile land in Pulwama district. She said the project was being planned in the middle of a residential area, warning that such decisions could lead to tension and conflict between residents and the Indian forces’ personnel. She urged the local administration to reconsider the move and protect scarce agricultural land.
Mehbooba Mufti said Jammu and Kashmir was already facing acute land shortages and stressed that land should be safeguarded for the indigenous population of the disputed territory. She said her party had raised the issue in the assembly and introduced a bill aimed at securing property rights for residents who have been living on state-owned or common lands for decades.
She urged the authorities to address public grievances and avoid policies that could further alienate the people of Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
