Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday said she had spoken to Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda and urged him to accelerate work on the AIIMS Awantipora project to ensure its completion without further delay.
In a post on X, Mufti said the Union Minister assured her that the prestigious healthcare institution would be completed within the stipulated timeframe. She said she had impressed upon him the need to expedite the ongoing construction work so that the facility could become operational at the earliest.
Spoke with Union Health Minister JP Nadda ji & requested him to expedite the ongoing work at AIIMS Awantipora so that it doesn’t get delayed any further. He was kind enough to assure me about its completion well on time.
Undoubtedly the team assigned here is toiling day &…
— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) June 6, 2026
Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Conference (JKPC) President and Handwara MLA Sajad Gani Lone on Saturday launched a sharp attack on former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti over her chairing of a review meeting at AIIMS, describing the move as an “unconstitutional trespass” and urging her to publicly acknowledge it as an error of judgement.
Lone said the meeting, chaired by Mufti despite her not holding any elected office, had created a dangerous precedent that could allow other unelected political figures to exercise authority over public institutions in Jammu and Kashmir.
“The chairing of the review meeting at AIIMS by a non-MLA was an unconstitutional trespass and will remain an unconstitutional trespass,” Lone said in a statement.
Questioning the implications of the development, the Peoples Conference leader asked what would prevent non-elected functionaries of the BJP or the RSS from presiding over similar meetings in the future if such actions were accepted as legitimate.
“If she can chair a review meeting of a central institution today without being an MLA, what stops an RSS or BJP non-MLA functionary from doing the same?” he asked, adding that other senior political leaders who do not hold elected office could also claim similar authority.
