Srinagar, media advisor and daughter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) President, Mehbooba Mufti, has publicly articulated the assertion that the PDP is confronting considerable coercion from the Indian government to abandon the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD), an alliance formed with the objective of re-establishing the distinct status of the region known as Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

According to a news release by Kashmir Media Service, the PAGD came into existence after prominent regional political entities took collective action following the decision by the Indian government to annul the special status of IIOJK on August 5, 2019.

During a media dialogue in Srinagar, Iltija Mufti responded to inquiries regarding the potential longevity of the PAGD by emphasizing the alliance’s significant acceptance among the public, describing it as their solitary beacon of hope. She stated, “Let me tell you even now the PDP faces tremendous pressure from the Indian government to leave the alliance but that is not our intention.”

In elaborating on the foundational objectives of the PAGD, she added, “The alliance was not created just to fight elections and to get power. The alliance had a bigger purpose, the bigger purpose is to restore Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir and to fight for the rights of the people here and to resolve the larger issue of Jammu and Kashmir, keeping in mind the interests of all stakeholders as per their wishes.”

Furthermore, Iltija posited during the interview that should the BJP secure another term in the forthcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections, there’s a possibility they might undertake a revision of the Constitution.