Explain remarks made in Delhi, PDP to Drabu

Srinagar, Mar 11: The disciplinary committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has asked Finance Minister Dr Haseeb Drabu to explain the statement attributed to him on Kashmir issue.
“The statement attributed to you about the nature of problem of Jammu & Kashmir has been reported in the newspapers for last two days in which you are reported to have said that J&K is not a political problem but involves only social issues.
“As you are aware this contradicts this very belief and core agenda of the party which you reportedly said at highest level,” said the disciplinary committee chairman Ab. Rehman Veeri.
Your statement has the potential of creating a serious dent in the image and credibility of the party. Therefore you are advised to explain as to why statement detrimental to the party interests was made,” said Veeri.
Drabu, as per Press Trust of India, on Saturday during an event in New Delhi said that Jammu and Kashmir shouldn’t be seen as a conflict state or a political problem, but as a society with social issues
“Don’t see J&K as a conflict state and a political issue, it is a society which has social issues right now. We are trying to find our own space and we are going through a process which many other countries are also going through,”
On Sunday, PDP’s Vice President too reacted over it advising senior party leaders to be “careful in their statements and observations while commenting on the basic political philosophy and core agenda of the party.
Madni, as per the party statement, asked Dr Drabu to “retract the statement immediately if it has been reported correctly in the media.”
“It is unfortunate that the problem is seen by some forces in the sub-continent as a mere management assignment to contain peoples’ aspirations and the resolution commitment is being aimlessly undermined,” Madni’s statement said. “PDP feels highly perturbed at the obvious lack of urgency in resolving this issue and reiterates its commitment to uphold Party’s stated objectives in which the resolution of the political issue has a paramount importance.”
Insisting that soon after its formation, the PDP leadership took forward the Kashmir case and soon emerged as hope. “The party discerned the imperative of history to address the innermost yearning for resolution of Kashmir issue with peace with dignity,” the statement said. “Those were times when there was all round despair in the state and people were suffering from a feeling of deep helplessness, strong alienation, cynical aloofness and complete lack of faith in democratic institutions and the political process.” PDP, he said, changed the discourse through relentless struggle and clarity in objectives.
“Madni affirmed that times now are of critical importance as India and Pakistan are in a denial mode and Jammu and Kashmir state is entangled in conflict and confrontation,” the statement said. “PDP realizes how important it is to reemphasise the struggle and how obligatory it becomes to refer to Party’s agenda without any ambiguity or sense of despair.”
Madni said the Party will follow its agenda with added vigour and sincerity. “Any impression of the political issue getting under the carpet can have a very negative impact and can spin the situation into another cycle of destabilisation in the region,” he said. “In such a scenario the sufferings of the state’s people will immensely compound and the upcoming generation will move out of the space of reconciliation.”
Madni said the period of reconciliation and dialogue from 2002-2005 has been the significant march forward on the political front and it was then that the state witnessed to its joy and relief ceasefire across LOC. India and Pakistan took moves to liberate the people from the mentality of siege. He said there was a compelling need to make that freedom movement easier, more comprehensive and meaningful, which ironically did not happen and state continued reels under spells of the vicious circle of violence. Madni said after the fractured election mandate of 2014 PDP entered into Governance Alliance based on the agreement and agenda which is an effort towards seeking a national reconciliation on J&K, besides catalysing reconciliation and confidence building within and across the Line of Control (LoC).
Madni said PDP is committed to pushing its agenda for peaceful and dignified resolution of the Kashmir problem which alone will lessen the tension in the region and release huge financial resources of the two countries for the development of their economies. He said the Party firmly believes that everyone one of us must come out of shells of our own making and should embark together in the common journey and quest for honour, peace and prosperity as this has been the avowed objective of PDP ever since its formation and growth.