Srinagar, January 10, (Scoop News)- Inviting intellectuals, professionals, educated people and youth into the party folds, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) patron, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed Friday said politics is the foundation of nations and to make it credible and accountable people from different walks of life need to join into it and the PDP offers a respectable space for such people who want contribute in changing the political narrative of Jammu and Kashmir.
Addressing a press conference at his Gupkar residence Mufti said the emergence of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) at New Delhi is a good omen for the politics of the country and has given a hope that people with ideas and missionary zeal can help in creating a new political environment.
Welcoming the internationally acclaimed journalist, broadcaster and writer, Nayeema Ahmad Mahjoor into the party fold, Mufti said the appearance of the PDP on the political sphere of Jammu and Kashmir changed the political discourse in the state and helped a great deal to end the monopoly of a single party, and helped competitive democratic exercise that not only provided people an alternative but resulted in generation of hope and reduction of distress in a substantial measure.
He said there is a common thinking around the world and in the country now that people with integrity need to join the politics in making the change happen on the ground and to ensure good governance. PDP, Mufti said, believes that politics can only be made people friendly only when professionals like Nayeema Ahmad Mahjoor will make it a point that they will use their creative potential in changing the environment around us which is full with uncertainty and suspicion.
The PDP patron said time has now come that such people will realise the urge for change and contribute in a great deal to help in PDP in completing its unfinished agenda of the political resolution and empowerment of people.
He said PDP during its brief stint in the government took some bold political and economical initiatives that not only helped to see a change on the ground but ensured a sense of security for the people who had gone through huge hardships because of the siege around.
He said opening of borders for travel and trade got India and Pakistan close to each other and the distrust prevailing between the two nations was minimized by the initiative. He said the historical ceasefire between the two nations changed the held perception that things can’t be changed.
Mufti said a transparent and accountable governance system was made possible and in the recruitment and selection processes merit was preferred. He said it was with the help of our officers and officials in the government PDP could provide a clean governance system. “The party couldn’t have got the generous funding from the centre or the Asian Development Bank, if we would not have been able to encourage them (officers and officials) to deliver,” said Mufti adding different security agencies were wary of even starting mobile services in the state, not to talk about the historical measure of opening of the Line of Control.
Speaking on the occasion, the party chief, Mehbooba Mufti termed Nayeema Ahmad Mahjoor a thorough professional and committed social servant, who has been always on the fore front in projecting the pain and agony of the people at different forums around the world. . She said she had been in touch with Nayeema for a quite a long time and her professional zeal and commitment to work has always impressed her. Mehbooba said Nayeema will contribute in taking the PDP’s agenda of political resolution and good governance to the logical conclusion and her professional skills will help in making our point of view louder.
The senior party leader Molvi Iftikhar Hussain Ansari, and the party’s state secretary Zaffar Iqbal Manhas were also present on the occasion.