Former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti highlighted the strategic importance of Jammu and Kashmir, drawing parallels with the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz. She emphasized the potential for J&K to become a crucial gateway connecting Central Asia and South Asia. Mufti stressed the need to leverage this strategic advantage by improving relations with China and Pakistan, which could lead to significant economic and political transformations in the region.
Mehbooba Mufti, along with her late father Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, has advocated for reducing tensions between India and Pakistan as a key step towards achieving lasting peace in J&K. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), founded by Mufti Mohammed Sayeed, is a prominent regional political party in Jammu and Kashmir. Following her father’s demise in 2016, Mehbooba Mufti took over as the party leader and served as the chief minister of the region.
The PDP, a member of the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration electoral alliance, has historically promoted dialogue over violence, encapsulated in the slogan ‘Goli Se Nahin, Boli Se’ (Not through guns, but through dialogue). The party’s vision for peace and stability in the region hinges on fostering constructive engagements and diplomatic ties between nations.
