The mainstream political parties in Jammu & Kashmir on October 15 held a meeting and formed an alliance for restoration of the special status of the erstwhile state as it existed before August 5 last year and also to initiate a dialogue between all stakeholders in the issue. The meeting was held at the residence of National Conference president Farooq Abdullah and attended by former chief ministers Omar Abdullah and PDP's Mehbooba Mufti, Peoples Conference chairman Sajad Lone, People's Movement leader Javaid Mir and CPIM leader Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami. Briefing reporters after the nearly two-hour meeting, Farooq Abdullah said the leaders decided to formalise the alliance that has been named the 'Peoples' Alliance for Gupkar Declaration'. He said the alliance will strive for restoration of the constitutional position in respect of Jammu and Kashmir as it existed before August 5 last year. JKPCC chief Ghulam Ahmad Mir could not attend the meeting "due to medical reasons". A spokesperson of the party said Mir had conveyed his inability to attend the meeting to Farooq Abdullah as the Congress leader was advised by doctors to get himself medically examined including a COVID-19 screening. The joint statement issued by the political parties, expressing concern over the situation, came to be known as the Gupkar Declaration. Centre revoked the special constitutional status of the state and also bifurcated it into two union territories, Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh. In a follow up, the political parties had met again in August this year and vowed to fight for restoration of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir.
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