‘IIOJK locked in a cage’, Mufti urges opening of cross-LOC trade routes
Jammu: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) President Mehbooba Mufti has renewed her call for the reopening of traditional cross-Line of Control trade and travel routes, saying that Jammu and Kashmir has been “locked in a cage” since the abrogation of Article 370.
Speaking to reporters, Mehbooba said the issue goes beyond the question of statehood and requires a broader political approach. “I am not talking about full statehood—I am talking about finding a solution to the problem of Jammu and Kashmir,” she said. Responding to queries on statehood, she added, “You have locked Jammu and Kashmir in a cage. I want it opened from all sides.”
Mehbooba urged New Delhi to restore historical corridors, including the Suchetgarh route in Jammu and the Kargil–Skardu road in Ladakh, which previously connected local communities across the Line of Control. “Whether it is the Suchetgarh route in Jammu or Kargil–Skardu in Ladakh, reopen these connections. Make Jammu and Kashmir the gateway to Central Asia so that it can breathe properly,” she said.
The PDP leader has consistently advocated for cross-LOC trade and people-to-people contact as part of reconciliation and political outreach, noting that the routes were closed decades ago due to security and geopolitical considerations.
Addressing divisive remarks by Indian Minister Giriraj Singh, who claimed “terrorists come from one religion,” Mehbooba countered by recalling the assassinations of Mohan Chand Gandhi, Indira Gandhi, and Rajiv Gandhi. “Ask Giriraj Singh who killed Gandhiji,” she said, highlighting the indiscriminate nature of political violence.
Her statements come amid growing resentment in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir over New Delhi’s continued restrictions on political freedoms, trade, and cross-border connectivity.
