Ease Highway

that the tactics employed by the BJP, including “soliciting” newspaper notices from separatist families, would not win over the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

“It is unfortunate that the BJP is contemplating the revocation of AFSPA after ten years. However, don’t be fooled into believing that it will actually be revoked. Similarly, the people of Ladakh were deceived with promises of Sikh-Schedule status, only to be later deprived of it,” he said.

Reflecting on his tenure as Chief Minister from 2011, Omar recalled his efforts to repeal AFSPA in Jammu and Kashmir. He, however, lamented that these endeavours were consistently thwarted by various impediments.

Responding to Home Minister Amit Shah’s recent remarks, the NC leader urged for the easing of travel restrictions on highways and the release of incarcerated youth before considering the repeal of AFSPA.

“The claims of unprecedented change and development touted by the government are nowhere to be seen, especially in places like Sopore. There has been little progress since 2014, with outsiders benefitting more than Kashmiris in terms of employment opportunities and contracts,” he asserted. “Whether it is employment, jobs or even sand extraction contracts, outsiders are benefitting more than Kashmiris.”

The former CM further said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s repeated slogans of “Dil Ki Doori, Dilli Se Doori” hold true only if they genuinely want to implement it in letter and spirit.

He said the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019 has left the youth of Jammu and Kashmir disillusioned, with many regretting their initial support for it.