The Political Affairs Committee (PAC) members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Sunday authorised party president Mehbooba Mufti to take a call on whether to attend the Round Table Conference on Jammu and Kashmir called by the Centre on June 24.
PDP Chief spokesman Suhail Bukhari told reporters that the members held an online meeting and authorised the party president to decide whether to attend the conference.
He said, “Peoples Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) has also called a meeting in which the participation in the all-party meeting will be decided,” he said.
However, sources said Mufti could give the conference a skip.
The PDP president has been charged by the Enforcement Directorate with money laundering and her passport and that of her mother has been blocked.
Mufti had applied for the renewal of her passport but the J&K Police gave unfavourable remarks against her during verification of her application for the renewal of her passport.
Her close aide and PDP youth leader Waheed Parra is in NIA custody for providing funds to separatists and maintaining links with militants and Pakistan.
The J&K Police in its charge sheet has accused Parra of providing several crore rupees to separatist Altaf Fantoosh, son-in-law of separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani, after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in 2016.
PDP sources said Mufti was contacted by Home Ministry officials and invited to attend the Round Table Conference on J&K.
She demanded the release of all political prisoners detained after the revocation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019.
On June 19, Sartaj Madni, her uncle and senior PDP leader, was released from detention after six months.
Mufti has repeatedly attacked the BJP after the revocation of Article 370.
She has vowed not to contest polls until the Centre restored the statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.
Observers believe that Mufti has toughened her stand as she fears the Centre might act tough against her in view of the charges of money laundering by ED.
It is believed that the PDP president has taken a hard stand to appeal to her constituency. She wants to be seen as uncompromising given the impending elections that are likely in autumn this year.
