Opposition PDP in Jammu and Kashmir today said the party's agenda of self-rule was equalvent to "de-facto" Azadi (freedom) without undermining the sovereignty of India and Pakistan.
"Yes, self-rule is equalvent to de-facto Azadi...freedom from siege. From mental, physical, political siege but without undermining the soverignty of India and Pakistan", PDP president Mehbooba Mufti told reporters here.
Elaborating, she said to her party self-rule means freedom of travel without passport, use of water resources, having a government that cannot be pulled down and also having an elected governor.
Foreign direct investment in the state also forms part of the party's self-rule formula, she added.
The PDP chief also demanded re-negotiation of Indus water treaty signed between India and Pakistan in the 1960s, claiming that the state is losing Rs72,000 crore annually because of this treaty.
Mehbooba said her party's demand for opening of all road links with the other part of Kashmir was a step to ensure that people can travel to Central Asia and have trade.
"We have kept 22 seats in the state assembly for representatives of the other part of Kashmir. We want to sit together and discuss the future of the state without challenging the sovereignty of the two countries."
Asked if her party would extend support to the proposed protest planned by hardline faction of Hurriyat Conference headed by Syed Ali Shah Geelani against the alleged "illegal" occupation of 1,38,057 hectares of land by Indian army in the state, she said," it is a people's issue and we consider assembly as a large platform to raise it."
She also said that the party had taken up the issue of withdrawal of security forces from the state with the prime minister Manmohan Singh whenever it got a chance to do so.
