SRINAGAR, Feb 27 : In a significant political move, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has written to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma, Congress leader Ghulam Ahmad Mir, JKPC President Sajad Lone, CPI (M)’s Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, AIP’s Sheikh Khursheed, and several independent MLAs, urging them to extend support to three crucial bills introduced by PDP legislators in the J&K Assembly.
In her letter, Mehbooba Mufti, stated the “continued hardships” faced by the people of Jammu and Kashmir following the developments of 2019. She stressed the need for a united effort beyond party lines to address the grievances of the people and called upon all political representatives to back the bills, which she described as essential for ensuring justice and relief to the affected sections of society.
The three bills introduced by PDP include the Jammu and Kashmir (Regularization & Recognition of Property Rights of Residents in Public Land) Bill, 2025, which seeks to provide security of tenure to residents occupying state land; the Jammu and Kashmir Civil Services (Special Provisions for Regularization of Adhoc, Daily Wagers, Need-Based and Other Temporary Workers) Act, 2025, aimed at securing the rights and future of thousands of temporary employees working in various government departments; and the Jammu and Kashmir Prohibition of Alcohol Bill, 2025, which seeks to impose a complete ban on the sale and consumption of liquor in the region.
Mufti argued that these legislative measures directly address some of the most pressing issues confronting the people of Jammu and Kashmir. She noted that thousands of families, particularly those residing on state land, face an uncertain future, while temporary and daily wage workers continue to struggle without job security. Additionally, she underscored the need to enforce a liquor ban, citing its social and moral impact on society.
Appealing for bipartisan support, Mufti urged the leaders to see these bills not as a political initiative of the PDP but as crucial measures to provide relief to the people. She stated that while political ideologies may differ, the challenges faced by the people remain common, and addressing them requires a collective approach.
The PDP chief also assured that her party would extend full support to any government initiative that aligns with the issues raised in these bills. Emphasizing the urgency of these matters, she called upon the lawmakers to rise above political differences and work towards legislative solutions that benefit the people of J&K.
“I look forward to your positive response and hope that we can move forward on these core issues together. Our political paths may differ, but the challenges faced by our people are shared, and so must be our resolve to address them,” Mufti wrote in her letter.
