
Srinagar: O.P. Shah, Chairman of the Centre for Peace and Progress, has stated that early assembly elections and the restoration of statehood are the demands of a broad spectrum of people in Jammu and Kashmir, including political leaders, activists, and civil society groups.
In an interview with KNS, Shah, who arrived in Srinagar on June 19, has spent the past week meeting with various stakeholders, including Farooq Abdullah, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Ghulam Hassan Mir, Muhammad Yousuf Tarigami, Agha Hassan, the family of Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Shabir Shah, representatives of the Pandit community, prominent lawyers, doctors, professors, and civil society activists.
According to Shah, the need for early assembly elections, the restoration of statehood, improved Indo-Pak relations, respect for all religions and sects, and the importance of secularism in democratic India were common themes in his discussions.
Shah also participated in a discussion on “J&K – The Way Forward” in Budgam district yesterday, where he spoke on the topics of early assembly elections, restoration of statehood, improving Indo-Pak relations, the significance of secularism in democratic India, and the relevance of Gandhism in contemporary India.
He shared updates about his meetings on X, stating that he met with Dr. Farooq Abdullah at his residence in Srinagar yesterday and had a productive discussion on “J&K – The Way Forward.”