ibn sultan
Srinagar, June 6: A visit by former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and PDP president to the under-construction AIIMS Awantipora has sparked a political controversy, with leaders from both the ruling National Conference and the opposition People’s Conference questioning the circumstances surrounding her review of the centrally funded project.
During her visit on Friday, Mufti inspected the progress of the healthcare facility and interacted with officials and representatives of the agency executing the project. Expressing satisfaction over the ongoing work, she described AIIMS Awantipora as a dream project of her late father, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, and noted that despite delays, construction was progressing steadily.
Speaking to reporters, Mufti said she was willing to assist in resolving any issues hindering the project’s completion and would raise concerns with Union Health Minister if required. She emphasized the urgent need for advanced healthcare infrastructure in Jammu and Kashmir, citing the growing burden of diseases, including cancer.
Mufti also advocated for giving preference to residents of Awantipora and surrounding areas in the recruitment of non-technical staff at the institution. Later, in a post on social media platform X, she reiterated that AIIMS Awantipora was envisioned and initiated by her father in 2015 and expressed satisfaction at seeing the project take shape.
However, the visit drew criticism from political rivals. Cabinet Minister questioned under what authority former leaders were reviewing government projects and who had facilitated such interactions. Without naming Mufti directly, she remarked that some former rulers continued to act as though they remained in office despite losing power in 2018.
Itoo also rejected attempts to claim credit for the project, asserting that AIIMS Awantipora was nearing completion due to the focused efforts and monitoring of the government led by Chief Minister .
Meanwhile, People’s Conference president described the episode as raising serious constitutional questions. He asked in what capacity Mufti had reviewed the project and whether any formal authorization had been granted by the Centre. Lone argued that the incident warranted clarification regarding the powers and jurisdiction of elected governments and former officeholders.
The PDP strongly defended Mufti’s visit. Party legislator accused the government of prioritizing politics over public healthcare concerns. He said Jammu and Kashmir was facing a healthcare crisis and questioned why objections were being raised over Mufti’s site visit instead of focusing on the timely completion and operationalization of AIIMS Awantipora.
Para further alleged that the government had not given adequate priority to the project and criticized the administration for failing to conduct regular reviews. He maintained that the focus should remain on ensuring world-class healthcare facilities for the people rather than engaging in political disputes.
AIIMS Awantipora remains one of the most significant healthcare infrastructure projects in Jammu and Kashmir and is expected to substantially strengthen specialized medical services in the region once operational.
