Jammu: Apni Party president Mohammad Altaf Bukhari on Saturday said the people of Jammu and Kashmir should stand up against innocent killings by militants as security forces alone cannot control it.
He also appealed to the youth of Kashmir to stay away from “subversive elements” who are the enemies of peace, tranquility and development.
“The people of Jammu and Kashmir, especially those in the valley, have to stand up themselves (against innocent killings) as only security forces and police cannot control it. We have to think that those getting killed are also Kashmiri and I openly admit that those killing them are also Kashmiri,” Bukhari told reporters on the sidelines of a party function here.
Scores of young activists joined the Apni Party in the presence of Bukhari at its headquarters and pledged to strengthen the party at the grassroots level.
Responding to a question about the latest killing of a Sarpanch Manzoor Ahmad Bangroo by militants at Goshbug in the Pattan area of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district on Friday, Bukhari asked what his fault was and said “he was only trying to serve the people”.
“The gunmen behind the innocent killings are no longer unidentified. The killers and at whose behest they are killing innocents are well known. It will not last for a long time,” he said.
He said the people of Kashmir have tolerated a lot over the past three decades of violence as a result of which graveyards are full of youngsters.
“I appeal to the youth to stay away from the subversive elements. Both who are killing and who are getting killed are our own. The time will come when these subversive elements will not be able to walk,” he said.
Bukhari said the situation in Kashmir is peaceful and there is no spurt in the killings by militants.
“The violence is going on in Kashmir since 1990 and there are people who are enemies of peace. We are living in a sensitive region sharing borders with Pakistan and China,” the Apni Party leader said.
He said stone pelting has ended in Kashmir over the past three years and the credit for it goes to the people, especially the youth who have controlled their emotions.
“Likewise, the people need to rise up against innocent killings and when they will, there will be no such killings.”
In response to another question, he said “we have lot of hopes with the upcoming visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Jammu and Kashmir.”
“We are hopeful that our statehood will be restored, Other Backward Classes to get 27 percent reservation, job package for unemployed youth… we should take full advantage of his visit and also press for regularisation of daily-wagers who are working in different government departments for the past many decades,” he said.
