Srinagar, Jul 30: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday expressed concern over reports of force being used against protesters in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), while asserting that the fight for the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood would continue through sustained efforts rather than one-day protests.
Speaking to reporters in Ganderbal, Omar said that the situation across the Line of Control was worrying and hoped that peace would prevail and innocent lives would be protected.
On the demand for statehood, the Chief Minister said the National Conference’s protest in Delhi was never expected to bring immediate results but was intended to remind the Union government of its unfulfilled promise to restore Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood.
“A single protest cannot resolve the issue. We knew that one demonstration would not produce immediate results, but it was important to register our stand and remind the country that a promise made to Jammu and Kashmir is yet to be fulfilled,” he said.
Omar said the National Conference had already taken up the issue through constitutional and democratic means by getting a resolution passed in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly seeking restoration of the erstwhile state’s special status and constitutional safeguards, which was subsequently forwarded to the Centre.
Referring to the PDP’s proposed protests on August 5, he said his party did not wait for a particular date to raise the issue. “We have already taken our fight to Delhi and will continue pursuing our demand until Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood is restored,” he said.
Reiterating his concern over the situation in PoJK, Omar said reports of force being used against protesters and innocent civilians were disturbing, expressing hope that peace would soon return to the region. (KINS)
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