PEOPLES CONFERENCE presi-dent Sajad Lone has said the time has arrived to “reconsider the administrative arrange ment” between Kashmir and Jammu divisions. Lone is the first political leader from the Val ley to openly call for separation of the two distinct regions of Jammu & Kashmir after re-newed calls for separate Jammu state by some pro-BJPelements.

In an official press statement, Lone has said the time has come for “amicable divorce” between Jammu and Kashmir divisions.

“Maybe time hascomeforan amicable divorce. It is not only about developmental matters. Jammu has become the prov-erbial stick to beat the Kashmiri with,” the statement said. “I think the people of Kashmir too can’t take it anymore… I am sure the desire for divorce is much, much higher in Kashmir than it ever was. Need leadership to call aspade a spade”.

While questioning Jammu’s “obsessive opposition to devel-opmental initiative” in Kashmir, Lone accused the Jammu based leadership of “selective cour-age”, saying they remained silent when centre took away every-thing from them, diverted busi-ness’ and stopped the Darbar move.