The Kashmir DialoguesSrinagar, Nov 4, KNT: For the first time in history, the Jammu Kashmir Legislative Assembly was convened without any representatives from the Ladakh region. This absence starkly contrasts previous assemblies, where four legislators consistently represented Ladakh.
Former Minister from Kargil, Qamar Ali Akhoon, expressed deep disappointment, stating that the people of Ladakh, particularly Kargil, never sought Union Territory status. Instead, he claimed it was imposed upon them, and they are now facing numerous problems.
Akhoon emphasized that people of Kargil always wanted to be part of Kashmir, never demanding separate status.
The lack of representation has rendered the people of Ladakh powerless, with even the Hill Development Council being virtually ineffective,” Akhoon told the news agency Kashmir News Trust.
Akhoon criticized the Indian government for making Kargil a scapegoat to appease Leh’s leadership. He said that beneath Kargil’s calm surface, anger and resentment simmer. [KNT]
Sheikh Sameer
M S Nazki
