Jahangeer Ganaie
Srinagar, Sep 16: Member of Parliament (MP) from Srinagar Lok Sabha Constituency, Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi and senior National; Conference leader Tuesday strongly criticised repeated restrictions on truck movement and the partial closure of the Srinagar–Jammu National Highway during the peak apple season, calling it a “deliberate war” on Kashmir’s economy that is pushing farmers and traders to the brink.
Speaking to reporters at the Fruit Mandi in Shopian, Mehdi said the valley’s horticulture — particularly apple cultivation — is the backbone of the local economy and must be protected from what he described as avoidable administrative decisions.
“Horticulture is the backbone of Kashmir’s economy,” he said, adding that nearly 70 per cent of the valley’s economy is linked to the sector and that it is far more important than tourism for many families.
He expressed deep concern that trucks laden with apples and other fruit are repeatedly being stopped, citing last year’s deliberate stoppages and a repeat of similar restrictions this season.
“Last year, trucks were intentionally stopped, and this year the same situation is being repeated,” he said. “This is not merely an administrative issue — stopping trucks during the peak season is an attack on the economic survival of our farmers and traders.”
He warned that the curbs come at the worst possible time. “Today is the peak of the apple season. Preventing trucks from moving is not an administrative inconvenience; it is an assault on our growers’ livelihoods,” Mehdi said.
Traders at the Mandi have already warned that fruit worth millions of rupees could spoil further if supply lines are not restored without delay.
He also questioned the logic behind permitting vehicles from Jammu into the valley while allegedly stopping fruit-laden trucks moving from Srinagar towards Jammu. “There is no justification for allowing vehicles into the valley from Jammu while preventing our produce from being transported out,” he said.
The MP urged the administration to ensure that apples and other perishables reach external markets unimpeded. “Authorities must take concrete steps to protect the Kashmiri economy and prevent further loss to our orchardists and traders,” he said, warning that continued neglect of the problem would prove even more destructive for the valley’s economy.
He welcomed a recent Supreme Court order halting the implementation of certain clauses of the Waqf Amendment Act and said the law must be applied uniformly across faiths.
He criticised arrests under the Public Safety Act (PSA), saying the law poses a threat to every citizen: “Under the PSA, no one is safe — whether MLA, MP or ordinary people. If someone raises their voice for their rights, they are not secure. This will only stop when we all unite and stand against it.”
“If we remain silent today, tomorrow we may face the same fate,” he said. (KNO)
