MENDHAR (POONCH): Apni Party president Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari on Wednesday said the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood should be achieved through dialogue with the Centre rather than confrontation, while senior vice-president Ghulam Hassan Mir called for meaningful engagement to bridge the trust deficit between the region and the rest of the country.
The leaders were addressing a workers’ meeting at Dak Bungalow in Mendhar, organised by the party’s constituency in-charge for Mendhar and spokesperson Rafiq Ahmad Khan.
Referring to the ruling party’s proposed sit-in protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on July 20, Bukhari said statehood was “a matter of dignity and honour” for the people of Jammu and Kashmir but could only be restored through talks with the Government of India.
He said statehood alone would not address issues such as unemployment, poverty and underdevelopment, and accused the government of failing to tackle these concerns.
Bukhari also criticised successive governments over what he described as the lack of basic amenities, including roads, drinking water and electricity. He alleged that the ruling party had failed to fulfil promises made during the 2024 Assembly election campaign, including providing one lakh jobs within six months.
He further criticised the Centre over the developments following the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019, alleging that the aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir had been ignored.
Addressing the meeting, Mir said the Apni Party was formed in 2020 during a period of uncertainty following the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A. He claimed the party leadership had engaged with the Centre to safeguard the region’s exclusive rights over land and government jobs.
Reiterating the party’s demand for dialogue, Mir urged the Centre to engage with the people of Jammu and Kashmir, particularly the youth, saying such engagement was essential to bridge the trust deficit between the region and the rest of the country.
Provincial president Manjit Singh said the Apni Party was emerging as a political alternative and urged party workers to remain active and maintain close contact with people at the grassroots level.
Several senior party leaders and workers were present at the meeting.
