Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) Chairman Ghulam Nabi Azad emphasized the necessity of abolishing the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) for fostering lasting peace and stability in Jammu and Kashmir.
“If the government claims there is normalcy, they should revoke AFSPA”, Azad said this while campaigning for his party candidate Amir Bhat in Chackipahroo in Central Kashmir’s Budgam district on Friday.
He also urged the people to take charge of initiating a transformation in Jammu and Kashmir.
The former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister emphasized the vital necessity of abolishing the AFSPA in the region, citing it as a critical step towards fostering lasting peace and stability.
He criticized the past administrations, including the National Conference (NC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), for the unjust detention of individuals under the Public Safety Act (PSA) also the fake encounters, revealing his investigations during his tenure as Chief Minister, which uncovered cases of innocent civilians being falsely implicated as militants.
“Many youths were detained under PSA during NC, PDP rule”, he said and added, “if my government comes to power, I will never exploit the people and will ensure justice.”
He challenged the notion that regional parties only deceive the public, asserting that his administration’s actions speak louder than words.
He stressed the imperative to cease exploiting people through hollow slogans. He stressed that citizens crave authentic transformation, development, and tranquility.
Azad lamented the regional parties’ history of duping Kashmiris, pointing to their vacillation from advocating autonomy to self-rule, and now fixating on Article 370.
He emphasized the significance of electing candidates who prioritize public issues and endorsed Amir Bhatt, a candidate from the DPAP, as someone who would echo the people’s concerns in Parliament, mirroring Azad’s approach.
