Earlier National Conference leader and Member Parliament Akbar Lone said his party must contest elections. Lone said contesting elections has been compulsion in the past though āKashmiris donāt belong to Indiaā.
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āWe will have to first understand what powers the new assembly will have in the event of any elections taking place. As a man from National Conference, whatever the elections, we must contest electionsā, Akbar Lone said.
Batting for a united stand by political parties against the abrogation of Article 370, Akbar Lone said that all parties must stand together for the restoration of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir.
āAll parties like the Congress, National Conference, PDP and other groups must join hands for the return of the special status of the stateā, Lone added.
Akbar Lone said the restrictions in Kashmir are stopping people from expressing their resentment against the scrapping of Article 370.
āEvery corner of the valley is guarded by security forces, if people would have been allowed to come out they would have showed their resentmentā, Lone said.
Lone said that he appreciated the role of Pakistan and other countries raking the Kashmir issue internationally and putting pressure on India.
āIt is a good thing that Pakistan or China or the US any other country rakes up the Kashmir issue internationallyā, Akbar Lone said.
Lone demanded the release of former chief ministers Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah.
āWe must be allowed to meet with our leaders and they must be releasedā, Akbar Lone added.
