People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Chief Mehbooba Mufti defended her party’s track record during a media briefing on Thursday, emphasizing the party’s contributions to South Kashmir and its role in addressing the region’s challenges. As political campaigns intensify ahead of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections, Mufti reiterated the PDP’s impact on improving governance and infrastructure in the region.
Mufti pointed to the PDP’s efforts in alleviating the difficulties caused by the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) and task forces in South Kashmir. “The people of South Kashmir understand what the PDP has done for them. We freed the people from these harsh measures,” she stated. She criticized rival political parties for failing to deliver similar results, claiming that only the PDP can protect the region from the BJP’s attempts to undermine local land and employment opportunities.
Highlighting her party’s achievements, Mufti listed the establishment of medical colleges, universities, and the introduction of initiatives like Rehbar-e-Taleem and Rehbar-e-Khel as evidence of the PDP’s commitment to the region. “Our challenge is to build on our past work,” she said, stressing the importance of the party’s accomplishments as voters head to the polls.
Mufti also took aim at the BJP’s employment promises, accusing the party of misleading the public. “The BJP claims it will provide 5 lakh jobs to the youth, but they made a similar promise of 2 crore jobs annually across the country. Not even 1 crore of those jobs materialized over the last 10 years. Lying requires no effort,” she remarked.
Mufti had previously criticized the National Conference (NC), asserting that without the PDP, the NC would continue to function “in a dictatorial manner” in Jammu and Kashmir. She emphasized that the PDP’s tenure brought significant improvements in governance, including the establishment of universities, colleges, and AIIMS.
As the election approaches, both the National Conference and the PDP have pledged to restore Article 370 in their manifestos, while the BJP has dismissed this, stating that Article 370 is “a thing of the past.” The Assembly elections will be held in three phases on September 18, September 25, and October 1, with vote counting scheduled for October 8.