Hakeem Yaseen urges Centre to end political chaos in J&K

Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Dec 11: People’s Democratic Front (PDF) leader and former Minister Hakeem Mohammad Yaseen on Thursday called upon the Central Government to immediately address the prevailing political uncertainty in Jammu and Kashmir and take decisive steps toward restoring full statehood.
He said the prolonged administrative vacuum and absence of an empowered elected government has created deep frustration among the people and hampered governance at every level.
In a statement, Hakeem Yaseen said that despite the massive democratic mandate given by the people, the governance structure in Jammu & Kashmir continues to remain constrained.
“Unfortunately, instead of focusing on public issues, certain political parties are indulging in blame games for their vested interests. Criticism is healthy in a democracy, but it must be for the welfare of the people-not for political mileage,” he said. Yaseen appealed to all political leaders to avoid unparliamentary language and maintain decorum while raising public concerns.
Referring to the recently elected Government led by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Hakeem Yaseen said that even though the people have given the new leadership a strong mandate, the administration’s authority remains restricted in the absence of statehood.
He pointed out that all major decisions-whether policy-related or administrative-require approval from the Lieutenant Governor, which limits the functioning of the elected leadership.
“Even critical matters such as the recent JKPSC examinations, SMDVU merit list, reservation issues and recruitment policies are being decided with LG’s consent. This has led to confusion, delays and widespread dissatisfaction,” he added.
Stating that statehood is essential to end this political and administrative chaos, Yaseen urged the Centre to restore Jammu and Kashmir’s dignity, decision-making autonomy and constitutional rights at the earliest.
He appealed to all political parties-irrespective of ideology or affiliation-to unite and jointly take up the issue with the Central Government.