ISLAMABAD: The BJP has agreed to form the PDP led government in occupied Kashmir and Mufti Mohammad Sayeed is all set to become the next chief minister of the occupied area after his party reportedly reached a consensus with the BJP on all contentious issues, including Article 370 and Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA). According to the Indian media sources close to the PDP chief has said that an agreement has been reached between the PDP and BJP. “Yes, the main agreement has been reached on the draft of the Common Minimum Programme (CMP) on contentious issues like Article 370, AFSPA and the plight of West Pakistan refugees. “It has been agreed that without any written reference to it, both the parties would respect the wishes of the people of the state in consonance with the constitution of India with regard to Article 370,” a top party source said. Mufti will be the chief minister for the full six years as per the agreement. The PDP insider who is engaged with the BJP in the dialogue process on government formation on behalf of his party also said instead of accepting the demand that the AFSPA should be revoked from the entire state within one year, it has now been agreed by the two parties that a committee would be formed which would recommend gradual, but timely, revocation of the act from areas in the state. Sources in the BJP said: “The PDP has agreed to the BJP demand that the CMP should accept that the problems faced by West Pakistan refugees should not be politicised, but treated as a humanitarian issue that needs to be addressed on humanitarian grounds.” The West Pakistan refugees are those over 25,000 families who came to the state after the India-Pakistan wars of 1947, 1965 and 1971. Since these people were not citizens of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir as it existed before accession to India in 1947, they cannot vote in the state assembly elections, nor buy property in the state. The PDP’s other key demands included a reconciliation process with Pakistan and a dialogue with the Hurriyat. It is understood that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a phone call to his counterpart Nawaz Sharif for consigning his secretary for External Affairs for resumption of talks with Pakistan to satisfy the demand made by the PDP.
