PAGD meeting underway to discuss restoration of J&K's special status

The People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration began a meeting to discuss the situation in the Union Territory and have consultations on the way forward for restoration of the special status of J&K

The People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) began a meeting here on Tuesday to discuss the prevailing situation in the Union Territory and have wider consultations on the way forward for restoration of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir.

The PAGD is an alliance of six mainstream political parties seeking the restoration of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir which was revoked by the Centre in August 2019.

The meeting started at alliance chairman Farooq Abdullah's residence at Gupkar here at 11 am.

Apart from the heads of the constituent parties, several middle and lower rung leaders are also participating in the meeting.

Speaking to reporters outside Abdullah's residence, senior vice president of Awami National Conference -- which is a constituent of the alliance-- Muzaffar Shah said the agenda of the meeting, apart from the restoration of the Article 370, is to launch a mass contact programme.

Asked about the reports of the administration having denied permission for the meeting, he said a democratic meeting cannot be denied.

"We are holding a democratic meeting and the government can't stop us from doing it. We will discuss how to reach out to every region's aspirations," Shah said.

Earlier, a leader of the alliance had said that the meeting would be different from the earlier ones.

"This time it is not only the top leadership of the constituent parties which has been invited for consultations, but the middle rung leadership as well," he had said.

The meeting has been called to discuss the prevailing situation in Jammu and Kashmir and "have wider consultations on various issues", he added.