SRINAGAR, Apr 9: Peoples Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti urged the country’s leadership to begin dialogue with Pakistan and China and push for reopening of the historic Silk Route, saying economic connectivity and regional engagement are essential to address unemployment and economic hardship in Jammu and Kashmir.
Addressing party workers in Kulgam district of south Kashmir, Mufti said larger political disputes can be taken up separately, but immediate steps should be taken to revive traditional trade and transport links that could open new economic opportunities for the region. She argued that restoring connectivity with Central Asia, Iran, China, Uzbekistan and Russia through traditional routes could help transform Jammu and Kashmir into an important commercial hub and create jobs for local youth.
The PDP chief maintained that dialogue and economic engagement remain the most practical path towards easing tensions and resolving long-standing issues. Recalling the political approach of her late father Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, she said he had always advocated dialogue over confrontation and had worked to replace hostility with economic interaction, including through the opening of the Muzaffarabad trade route that allowed cross-border movement of goods such as Kashmiri apples.
Mufti also criticised the National Conference-led government, saying it should play a more active role in persuading the Centre to initiate dialogue. She remarked that such an effort cannot be carried out by her party alone and asserted that the ruling dispensation must use its position to press for meaningful political engagement. She further alleged that ordinary Kashmiris, particularly youth, continue to face detentions and hardship.
Referring to developments in West Asia, Mufti said Pakistan had played an important role in bringing Iran and the United States to the negotiating table and used the example to argue that sustained dialogue remains the only workable alternative to conflict. She also voiced concern over attacks in Iran, condemned strikes on civilians, schools and hospitals, and said the eventual ceasefire underlined the importance of resilience and negotiations in times of crisis.
Highlighting the wider strategic significance of trade routes, she said disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz affect a substantial portion of global trade and often compel major powers to engage in talks. Drawing a parallel with Jammu and Kashmir, she said reopening traditional routes through Jammu and Ladakh could similarly improve the region’s economic relevance and reduce its isolation.
Mufti also raised several local and religious issues during her address. She noted that while the Al-Aqsa mosque had reopened after a period of closure, Srinagar’s Jamia Masjid remained shut. She further alleged harassment of civilians in parts of south and north Kashmir, claiming that security forces were requisitioning vehicles from locals, many of whom had purchased them through bank loans, and were using force against those who resisted.
The PDP chief thanked Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha for ordering an inquiry into the Ganderbal encounter, but said the body of the victim had still not been returned to the family. She also said that the ruling establishment had received a strong public mandate with expectations that detained youth would be released and arrests would stop, but alleged that those expectations had not been fulfilled.