PDP Marks 26th Foundation Day Reaffirms Call for Dialogue and Dignity in J&K

Natika Bhat
SRINAGAR July 28: The Jammu & Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) marked its 26th Foundation Day with a significant gathering at Sher-e-Kashmir Park in Srinagar on Monday, bringing together party leaders, workers, and supporters in a show of solidarity and political resolve.

Party President Mehbooba Mufti led the commemoration, using the occasion to deliver a pointed message to New Delhi. In her address, Mufti urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to move away from what she described as a “war-like approach” in Jammu and Kashmir, advocating instead for a renewed focus on reconciliation and dialogue.
“This day is not just a celebration of our journey, but a reminder of our responsibility,” Mufti said. “We call upon the central leadership to replace confrontation with conversation, and suppression with inclusion.”
The PDP, founded on July 28, 1999, by the late Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, emerged with a promise to restore dignity, trust, and political agency to the people of Jammu and Kashmir. Over the years, the party has maintained its stand on upholding the region’s unique identity, democratic ethos, and civil liberties.
Monday’s event reflected those founding principles, with speakers throughout the program emphasizing the need to safeguard Jammu and Kashmir’s distinctiveness in the Indian Union. The mood was both reflective and defiant, as attendees recalled the party’s evolution amid shifting political landscapes and ongoing challenges in the region.
Senior PDP leaders, addressing the gathering, reiterated their commitment to peaceful political engagement and stressed the importance of reviving democratic processes that have withered under central rule.
As Jammu and Kashmir continues to navigate its post-Article 370 reality, the PDP’s Foundation Day served as both a celebration of its roots and a platform for renewed political assertion.
With its call for dialogue and dignity, the party appears to be repositioning itself as a voice of moderation in a fractured political space — one still seeking a roadmap toward lasting peace and autonomy.