Mehbooba Mufti Slams Omar Abdullah Over Silence on Land Acquisition and Unemployment

BIJBEHARA, January 07, 2026 :- Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) President Mehbooba Mufti launched a scathing critique against Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today, accusing his Government turning a blind eye to the pressing grievances of the Kashmiri people.

Speaking at the death anniversary of her father, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, in Bijbehara, the former Chief Minister alleged that Abdullah has failed to leverage his legislative majority to protect local interests.

Mufti specifically highlighted the government’s perceived indifference toward land acquisition and the mounting struggles of the horticulture sector, suggesting that the current leadership is more focused on political rivalry with the PDP than on public welfare.

Central to her argument was the claim that the Chief Minister is disconnected from the economic realities of rural Kashmir. Mufti asserted that Abdullah “does not understand the emotional and economic value” of orchards, which serve as the primary lifeline for thousands of families.

She urged the government to halt land acquisition for major infrastructure projects, such as the railway expansion, until a concrete guarantee for local employment and rehabilitation is established.

Emphasizing that land in Jammu and Kashmir is a matter of identity and survival, she demanded that the administration prioritize job creation for the youth to address the rising levels of “despair and unemployment” currently gripping the Union Territory.