Ruling out formation of any ‘third-front’ in Jammu and Kashmir, the political leaders affiliated with different political parties Thursday said that the saner voices of the erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir have come together to demand what rightfully belongs to the people of Union Territory.

Addressing a joint news conference in Jammu, Democratic Party Nationalist (DPN) president Ghulam Hassan Mir and former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader Dilawar Mir demanded release to all persons including the mainstream leaders ahead of January 26 as ‘’a goodwill gesture’.

Replying to a query about shaping up of a possible third-front, the duo leaders said there was no third front in offing while somesaner voices have joined hands to demand what rightfully belongs to Jammu and Kashmir people.

“Everything regarding third front will come to the fore. The meeting by former legislators and ministers of erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir State with the Lieutenant Governor Girish Chandra Murmu was aimed to demand rights of people. We talked about the sufferings of people including Srinagar-Jammu highway, which remain closed for 20 days in a month during winters, thus causing hardship to the people in reaching their destinations,” Ghulam Hassan Mir said, demanding Government of India to start dakot a services in Jammu and Kashmir.

He said that they presented a memorandum before the LG Murmu which mentined certain issues including the development as well as the rights of people including internet restoration, revival of economy post August 5 decision.

“Since we met LG Murmu, some positive steps were taken including release of leaders and other persons of Kashmir who were lodged outside jails,” he said, adding that ahead of the Republic Day, the leaders who have been put under preventive custody be released as ‘a goodwill gesture’. Hesaid that the persons who are lodged at outside jails be also released ahead ofthe Republic Day.

The duo leaders during a presser also demanded restorationof internet services in Jammu and Kashmir, saying that services were althoughrestored in Jammu and some districts of Kashmir, but these services should berestored fully especially to the media persons, who have been facing hardships while performing their duties. “At least broadband services should be restoredto the media persons, traders and others who are facing hardships from lastfive months,” they said.

They said on the eve of this R-Day, all the curbs acrossJammu and Kashmir should be lifted. “We are also demanding the centralgovernment to restore Statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, secure jobs and land inUT,” they added.

About scrapping of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status, theduo leaders said although people in Kashmir were not expecting such a decisionand are not happy with it, but the credit goes to the government for makingadequate security arrangements as well as to the people for not opting toviolence.

However, Mir said that the people didn’t protest, but itdoesn’t mean that they are happy with the government decision. “The case isstill subjudice at Supreme Court, but any decision in this regard will notdeter people to continue with their daily life,” he said.

Referring to a query, Dilawar Mir termed the expulsion ofleaders as contrary to the party’s norms, saying that only party chief MehboobaMufti, who at present is under detention, has the authority to expel any memberfrom the party.  “I am still a PDP manand no one has any authority to remove from the party’s basic membership,” Mirsaid.

On January 9, PDP expelled some party leaders on the groundsof meeting the members of a foreign delegation in Srinagar without the consentparty. Those expelled include Dilawar Mir, Rafi Ahmad Mir, Zaffar Iqbal, AbdulMajeed Padroo, Raja Manzoor Khan, Javaid Hussain Baig, Qamar Hussain and AbdulRahim Rather — all former MLAs.

Earlier, some PDP leaders accompanied former PDP FinanceMinister Altaf Bukhari and met LG Murmu, seeking restoration statehood,internet and protection in land and jobs