Srinagar, Nov 14 (KNS): J&K Peoples Movement (JKPM) Vice President and founding member Syed Iqbal Tahir today joined Peoples Democratic Party in presence of Ms Mehbooba Mufti, President PDP at their office in Srinagar. Along with him, hundreds of his supporters from Anantnag district also joined PDP.
Addressing the gathering at PDP office, Iqbal Tahir said that the illegal abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A of the Constitution of India was a momentous milestone in the chequered political history of Jammu & Kashmir and the abrogation has wiped off any trace of the ‘special status’ that people of J&K had enjoyed under the constitution.
He further alleged that successive central governments have let down the people of J&K by diluting the special status agreed at the time of accession.
Justifying his joining PDP, Iqbal Tahir said that it was his firm belief that in order to achieve the “larger goal”, younger political activists like him have an obligation to bolster such political forces who are much better placed and equipped to make the dream of restoration possible. He said that PDP was at the forefront of restoration of the special status and has strongly represented the voice & aspirations of people of J&K in a post-August 2019 scenario. He urged other members of his erstwhile party JKPM to also join PDP.
A resident of Anantnag, Syed Iqbal Tahir is a Supreme Court lawyer. He is an alumnus of Bristol Law School, UK and has attended a leadership programme at Harvard University, USA.
PDP president Mehbooba mufti welcomed Iqbal and said party was open to promising youth in party.(KNS)