Hakeem Yaseen urges Centre to fulfil promise of Statehood to J&K

• Says Silence of Political Parties Raises Questions
• Same Parties Betrayed People for Political Gains

SRINAGAR:  President People's Democratic Front (PDF) and former Minister Hakeem Mohammad Yaseen on Thursday urged the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister to fulfil the long-pending promise of restoring statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, stating that several governance and developmental issues continue to affect the people due to the delay.

In a statement issued here, Hakeem said that the restoration of statehood must be taken up on priority and implemented with “respect and dignity” for the people of Jammu and Kashmir. He asserted that continued uncertainty over the political status is hampering administrative efficiency, democratic functioning, and public confidence.

He said it is unfortunate and surprising that most political parties have maintained silence over the issue of statehood restoration. “It appears as if there is a tacit understanding between certain political parties and the Centre, as they are not raising their voice for the genuine rights of the people,” he remarked.

Hakeem said despite getting votes on statehood, these parties have remained mute spectators. They are the  same parties have historically betrayed the people of Jammu and Kashmir for their own political gains. “These are the very parties who, time and again, compromised on public interests and failed to safeguard the aspirations of the people,” he added.

Criticising the recently concluded Assembly session, Hakeem said valuable time was wasted without addressing pressing public issues. “The session failed to deliver anything substantial for the common people. Issues like unemployment, rising prices, poor infrastructure, and basic civic amenities were largely ignored,” he said.

He further said that youth in Jammu and Kashmir are facing growing frustration due to lack of employment opportunities and uncertainty about the future. He stressed that restoring statehood would strengthen democratic institutions and ensure better accountability in governance. Hakeem also highlighted that grassroots democracy has been weakened and called for empowering elected representatives to effectively address public grievances. He emphasized the need for transparent governance and speedy redressal of people’s issues.

Appealing to the Centre, he said that restoring statehood would go a long way in rebuilding trust and confidence among the people. “The Government of India must honour its commitment and take concrete steps towards restoring full statehood at the earliest,” he said. Hakeem reiterated that the people of Jammu and Kashmir deserve a responsive and accountable government, and any further delay in restoring statehood will only deepen the sense of alienation among the masses.