National Conference President Farooq Abdullah on Sunday hits out at Pakistan for hailing the recent joint statement of political parties in Jammu and Kashmir over Article 370 and said: “we are not anyone’s puppets”.

“Pakistan has always abused mainstream political parties of Jammu and Kashmir but now suddenly they like us. Let me make it clear that we are not anyone’s puppets, neither New Delhi’s nor of anyone across the border. We are answerable to the people of Jammu and Kashmir and will work for them,” PTI quoted Abdullah as saying.

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A few days ago, Pakistan Foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi had said that the declaration issued by the NC, PDP, Congress and other parties regarding the abrogation of Article 370 was not an ordinary occurrence but an important development.

Last Saturday, the signatories to the August 2019 Gupkar Declaration had issued a joint statement reiterating their commitment for the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status

The statement said the signatories have barely managed to establish basic level of communication with each other in the face of a series of “prohibitive and punitive curbs imposed by the government, aimed at impeding all social and political interactions”.

The leaders of opposition had also said that “the unfortunate events of 5th August 2019 have unrecognizably changed the relationship between J&K and New Delhi” and said they will strive for restoration of Articles 370 and 35A.

They described the series of measures undertaken by the Modi government on 5 August 2019 as “grossly unconstitutional and in reality measures of disempowerment and a challenge to the basic identity of the people of J&K”.

“In a spitefully shortsighted and unconstitutional move, Articles 370 and 35A were abrogated and the State was bifurcated and relegated to the status of two Union Territories and its Constitution tried to be made unenforceable”.

“The measures attempt to redefine who we are. These changes were accompanied by repressive measures meant to silence people and coerce them into submission, and continue unabated”.

The joint statement reiterating their commitment to the contents of the Gupkar Declaration that was signed at the residence of the National Conference (NC) chief Farooq Abdullah has been issued more than a year after and following Abdullah’s meeting with senior leaders of the NC during the past two days. Dr. Farooq Abdullah, JKNC, Mehbooba Mufti, JKPDP, GA Mir, JKPCC, M Y Tarigami, CPI (M), Muzaffar Shah, JKANC and Sajad Gani Lone, JKPC are signatories to the joint statement.

READ: Abrogation of Article 370 has changed relationship between J-K, New Delhi: Kashmir opposition parties