The All Party Huriyat Conference(APHC) has called for a poll boycott and launched an anti-election campaign. But the call seems muted and is unlikely to have an impact on the election process. Says Yaseen Malik, APHC leader: "Ours is a long-term struggle. Whether elections are held or not is immaterial. Everyone knows that polls are a farce and is no solution to the Kashmir problem."
Quizzed about expelled Hurriyat leader Shabir Shah having launched a parallel campaign against elections, Malik said he "welcomes" Shah's endeavour. Any party or individual opposing the elections will be supported by the Hurriyat, he claimed.
Malik denied that the APHC was a divided house and said it was united in its ultimate goal— azadi for Kashmir. Hurriyat leaders are planning to fan out to the districts to educate the people on the "farce" called elections being foisted on them by the Delhi Government with the help of security forces. "Unless a permanent solution is found to the Kashmir problem what is the point in holding elections in the Valley?" he queries.
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