Will restore Article 370 to original form, promises PDP

Jammu and Kashmir's Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said Friday it would restore Article 370 in its original form, if it wins power, as this provision of Indian constitution provides special status to the state and is "necessary for the empowerment of thepeople here".

"Article 370 impacts everything in Jammu and Kashmir, from political discourse to personal responses, from economy to emotions, from society to sensibilities and from institutions to ideologies," PDP president Mehbooba Mufti while releasing her party's poll manifesto here.

"If PDP comes to power, we would strive towards making Jammu and Kashmir politically empowered and economically self reliant," she said.

Mehbooba also said Self-Rule Document of PDP provides a comprehensive framework for the resolution of Kashmir issue.

"We will work towards building closer ties across the Line of Control, making borders irrelevant in Jammu and Kashmir, reviving Jammu and Kashmir's traditional connectivity with the rest of the world, promoting economic and social integration of the region, creation of a regional Free Trade Area and Common Economic Market as enshrined in the document.

"PDP will put in place mechanism for politico-economic remodelling of the state," she emphasised.

The party's election manifesto talks about rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits, resettlement of Pakistan Administered Kashmir refugees and empowerment of minorities.

The PDP president said her party would renegotiate all natural resource sharing agreements with the central government.

"We would seek share in the profits of National Hydroelectric Power Corporation emanating from Kashmir's waters," she said.

Mehbooba, who was accompanied by her father and PDP patron, Mufti Sayeed and party's senior leaders, said the party will also press for the revocation of Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA).

"We (PDP) will assess the issues relating to notifying of 'Disturbed Areas' to pave the way for revocation of AFSPA. We would also review all the cases against the youth and stop use of inhuman crowd control methods like the pellet guns," she added.