The Congress chapter in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) has demanded that New Delhi announce a clear and time-bound roadmap for the restoration of statehood to the territory. According to Kashmir Media Service, speaking during the motion of thanks on the New Delhi-appointed Lieutenant Governor’s address in the legislative assembly, IIOJK Congress president Tariq Hameed Karra questioned the Indian government’s claims of participatory governance and public trust.

“How can trust exist when the people’s core demand—the restoration of statehood—remains unresolved?” he asked. Karra said the Indian National Congress leadership, including party president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, has raised the demand in Parliament and in a letter to PM Modi, seeking immediate restoration of statehood to IIOJK.

Raising pointed questions, Karra said the Indian government continues to promise statehood “at an appropriate time” without defining any parameters. “What is the right time? What is its measure? What is its standard? And how long are the people of Jammu and Kashmir have to wait?” he asked. Taking a veiled swipe at the BJP, Karra warned against attempts to push for Jammu as a separate state, saying such ideas have historically bred regional mistrust and weakened the collective strength of occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

He stressed that unity and communal harmony were essential for safeguarding the territory’s political future. On the return and rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits, Karra said the issue cannot be addressed through symbolic gestures or economic packages alone. “What is needed is a comprehensive, permanent and dignified plan that guarantees security, economic stability and social rights, enabling their return to the Valley with dignity,” he said. He proposed the formation of a standing committee of elected members to formally initiate a dialogue with the Kashmiri Pandit community to draft a practical strategy at the ground level to ensure their safe and dignified return to the Valley.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)