POONCH: Ghulam Nabi Azad, a former union minister and the head of the Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP), has criticised the PDP and National Conference for misleading the people of Jammu and Kashmir by using strong rhetoric to gain power. Speaking at a sizable public gathering following today’s road march across the border town of Mendhar in district Poonch, Azad ‘trained guns’ at PDP and National Conference leaders, accusing them of misleading innocent Jammu and Kashmiri citizens with cries like “autonomy” and “self-rule.” But they lost sight of those catchphrases after they came to power. To seize power, they exploited the innocent as a voting bloc. The public, he argued, ought to be aware of this and not allow these political parties to use them. A former Union Health Minister attacked the People’s Democratic Party and the National Conference for their power-hungry politics and shady partnerships. He cited the ways in which the PDP and NC worked with the BJP to seize power. He emphasised that although the BJP had not appointed him as a member of parliament or as a minister, figures such as Omar Abdullah had been ministers in earlier BJP-led administrations. Azad charged that the NC and PDP put their own interests ahead of the needs of the people. Citing the power-hungry goals of the NC and BJP, he issued a warning about possible future partnerships between them.The Chairman of the DPAP stressed how important it is for the Gujjar and Pahari people to remain united. He called on the two communities to unite and oppose any attempts by political parties to sow discord between them. He emphasised that the region’s growth and development depend on keeping this togetherness. While praising the Pahari group for receiving ST classification, Azad stressed that the Gujjar people’s quota should be kept unaltered because it is essential to their socioeconomic advancement and empowerment. He warned against the polarising strategies of other political parties and insisted on maintaining a laser-like focus on solving public issues. Azad reaffirmed his commitment to promoting wealth, peace, and development.He emphasised how crucial it is to revive programmes like “Roshni” in order to properly handle land ownership concerns and fight corruption. The former chief minister promised to put in endless effort to combat corruption and advance government transparency. He reiterated that he is still committed to bringing about possibilities for everyone and enhancing the socioeconomic climate in the area. Vice chairman GM Saroori, party general secretary RS Chib, Anita Thakur, Imran Zafar, Riyaz Naz, Masood Choudhary, Salman Nizami, Sunita Arora, Zahid Malik, and Ishfaq Mirza were among the notable attendees during the event.
