Disappointed over outcome of meeting chaired by PM on J-K: PAGD

The People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) on Monday expressed disappointment over the outcome of the recent all-party meeting on J-K chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying there was lack of substantial confidence building measures like release of political and other prisoners.

A statement issued here by the alliance spokesperson and CPI(M) leader M Y Tarigam said the PAGD met on Sunday evening under the chairmanship of Farooq Abdullah the National Conference (NC) president -- at his residence.

The meeting was attended by alliance vice-chairperson and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti, Tarigami, NC leader Hasnain Masoodi, Peoples Movement chief Javed Mustafa Mir and Awami National Conference senior vice president Muzaffar Ahmed Shah.

The meeting was called to discuss the recent meeting chaired by the prime minister in Delhi on June 24, the spokesperson said.

All the members of the PAGD expressed their disappointed at the outcome of the Delhi meeting especially at the absence of any substantial confidence building measures (CBMs) such as releasing political and other prisoners from jails and taking concrete steps to end the alleged "atmosphere of suppression" that has choked J-K since 2019, the spokesperson said.

He said the CBMs would have initiated the much-needed process of reaching out to the people of J-K who are the biggest stakeholders and sufferers of the J-K problem .