Amid ongoing protests by job aspirants across the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and agitation against the proposed Property Tax, veteran leader and National Conference president Dr. Farooq Abdullah has called All Party Meeting (APM) at his residence here on March 11.
According to sources in the National Conference the meeting has been called to discuss the prevailing situation in Jammu and Kashmir. All major political parties are being extended an invitation to the meeting, which is scheduled to be held at 3pm on Saturday.
Although invitations have been extended to all opposition parties, there is suspense over some parties attending the meeting.
During the last All-Party Meeting held on August 22, 2022, Jammu and Kashmir Peoples' Conference and Apni Party led by Altaf Bukhari stayed away from the opposition's meeting. Reports said that Peoples' Conference and Apni Party will stay away from Saturday's meeting.
All eyes are on the newly-floated Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) of former Congress stalwart Ghulam Nabi Azad.
Important to mention here that after performing Urmah in Saudi Arabia, Dr. Farooq Abdullah returned to India on Thursday. Dr. Abdullah decided to convene the All-Party Meeting after returning from Saudi Arabia.
Opposition parties to focus on demands of statehood, assembly elections in J&K
Reports said that during the All-Party Meeting, opposition parties will devise a strategy to start an agitation for statehood to J&K. During the meeting, suggestions from different political parties will be sought to announce a future course of action for starting an agitation for statehood.
Recently, Dr. Farooq Abdullah has raised apprehensions that the BJP-led Union Government was not going to grant statehood to Jammu and Kashmir after the assembly elections.
Sources further revealed that during the meeting, representatives of all political parties would discuss the delay in conducting the maiden Assembly elections in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
Burning issues like hiring a black-listed company by the Jammu and Kashmir Service Selection Board (JKSSB) for conducting written examinations of different posts and the decision of the UT to impose Property Tax would also be discussed.
Last All-Party Meeting was held in August 2022 on voting rights to non-locals
The last time All-Party Meeting was held was on August 22, 2022, to discuss the decision of the J&K government to grant voting rights to non-locals.
Apart from constituents of the Peoples' Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD), representatives from Congress, Janta Dal (United) Shiv Sena, Akali Dal, and Dogra Swabhiman Sangathan attended the meeting.
