SRINAGAR: Apni Party President, Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari, on Sunday underlined the urgency and significance of restoration of Statehood to Jammu and Kashmir and urged the Government of India not to delay its announcement any further.
Bukhari was addressing a day long convention of Party workers from Shopian on Sunday at the party office in Lal Chowk, Srinagar.
The convention was presided by Apni Party President Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari in presence of other party leaders including Vice President Zaffar Iqbal Manhas, Provincial President Kashmir Mohammad Ashraf Mir, Media Advisor Farooq Andrabi and DDC Vice-Chairperson Shopian Irfan Manhas.
On this occasion, two Block Development Council Members, over a dozen Panchayat members along with scores of prominent political activists from the Shopian District joined the Party. The BDC members who joined the Party included: Manzoor Ahmad Malik (BDC Kangiullar) and Shameema Akhtar (BDC Ramnagri). Mohammad Aehsan Pal former Block President National Conference, Mohammad Rafiq Aawan and Ali Mohammad Wana were among scores of prominent political activists who joined the Apni Party on this joining ceremony.
The Party President welcomed the new entrants while expressing that Apni Party is for the people and stands always committed to resolve the issues faced by them.
“People of J&K are suffering immensely as they have been disempowered by snatching their Statehood. Right now, people of J&K have no say in the governance. This is why Apni party wants an early restoration of Statehood so that people enjoy a transparent, fair and accountable system of governance,” Bukhari remarked.
Apni Party President held emotive politics responsible for the political instability in this region saying that hollow promises and emotive slogans have always distracted people from the practical issues.
“As per our commitment we put in all our efforts to ensure the release of thousands of Kashmiri detainees who were lodged in different jails across the country. We secured protection of rights on jobs and land in J&K through domicile laws. Though we still are not fully satisfied with the new Land Laws. Similarly, I assure you that Apni Party will leave no stone unturned till the Statehood is restored to J&K,” Bukhari said.
He said that he was confident that the elected DDCs and BDCs will always be at the service of the people. “The people have put their trust in us and we will honor that conscientiously,’’ he said.
Speaking on this occasion, Zaffar Iqbal Manhas observed that the foundation of Apni Party is based on pragmatic approach and it believes in practical politics.
“Since the day Apni Party was formed, we have never promised anything that is not achievable. We are committed to follow our claims and will never ever indulge in emotive politics which has always been detrimental to the interests of the people,” Manhas observed.
Manhas expressed his deep anguish over the apathetic approach of J&K government towards rural areas especially district Shopian. “One can gauge the step motherly treatment of the government by the frequency of transfers of deputy commissioners of district Shopian. Eight DCs of Shopian were transferred by the government from March 2015 till date,” he added.
Apni Party vice president observed that the administration seems in deep slumber visa-a-vis the sufferings of the people of district Shopian and especially living in its Kandi belt. “Snow is yet to be cleared from the main market in Shopian including the hospital which is giving tough time to the patients and the hospital staff alike,” he observed.
Manhas urged the Lt. Governor to go for construction of a tunnel that will minimize the distance and the travel time for the commuters opting Mughal road for their journeys.
He demanded immediate installation of lift irrigation for Kandi belt which often suffers due to drought like conditions.
