In Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), National Conference President Farooq Abdullah has called for the immediate restoration of full statehood to the territory and the return of complete powers to the elected government.

According to Kashmir Media Service, addressing a gathering in south Kashmir’s Islamabad district, Farooq Abdullah urged the BJP-led Indian government to honour the commitments it had made to the people of IIOJK regarding the restoration of statehood.

He said the people of the territory had decisively expressed their will through the ballot, and their democratic mandate must be respected without delay.  He emphasized that bureaucratic administration can never substitute a democratically elected government that remains closely connected to the emotions and day-to-day concerns of the people. 

He noted that elected representatives are fully aware of the ground realities, local challenges and developmental needs of their respective constituencies because they remain in constant touch with the people at the grassroots level, whereas bureaucratic systems remain detached from public sentiment and on-ground realities. 

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)