Deliberate attempt to kill Kashmir's apple industry: PDP MLA

Srinagar, Sep 21 (PTI) Peoples' Democratic Party (PDP) MLA Waheed Para on Sunday said there is a "deliberate" attempt to "kill" Kashmir's apple industry to favour the Himachal Pradesh fruit.

"There's a deliberate attempt to kill Kashmir's apple industry the backbone of our economy to favour Himachal apple and cripple us," Para, the MLA from Pulwama, said on X.

The PDP leader said Mughal Road and the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway blockades "are deliberate".

"Amid border skirmishes, what's the justification for stopping apple trucks? If it were Op Sindoor or Yatra, would roads be blocked for so long? What justification does the government have? Accountability must be fixed and movement restored," he added.

Fruit-laden trucks from the Kashmir valley were stranded along the highway for several days in view of the closure of the road following inclement weather and landslides.

The prolonged closure led to losses for the fruit growers. PTI SSB AMJ AMJ