Shah Faesal on Sunday launched his political outfit ‘J&K People’s Movement’ in Srinagar

While announcing the launch of his outfit, Faesal said he admired Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for their political struggle

Nearly two months after announcing his resignation from the IAS, Shah Faesal on Sunday launched his political outfit ‘Jammu and Kashmir People’s Movement’ at an event in Srinagar. Former JNU Students’ Union vice-president Shehla Rashid also joined Faesal’s outfit.

While announcing the launch of his outfit, Faesal said he admired Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for their political struggle.

In its vision document, the outfit said it would pursue a “peaceful resolution of the Kashmir problem as per the will and aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir”. With a political row going on over Article 35A, the outfit underlined that it would seek to protect the special status granted to the state under the Constitution.

“The party shall work for the upliftment of ethnic, linguistic and religious minorities in the State and work for the peaceful and dignified return of Kashmiri Pandits to their homeland,” the 29-point document further mentioned.

Amid speculation that he would be joining the National Conference, Faesal has been travelling through different districts in the Valley, meeting and bringing “like-minded individuals” into the fold.

The first person from Jammu and Kashmir to top the Indian civil service examination, Faesal resigned from IAS “to protest the unabated killings in Kashmir and absence of any credible political initiative from Union government”.