Let all stakeholders come together, identify issues, formulate a roadmap, and then engage Centre with one voice, says Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari

Urges political parties to rise above personal and party interests and refrain from seeking political mileage from an issue of vital importance to J&K and its people

Srinagar, June 9: Apni Party on Tuesday urged all political parties to unite and take up the demand for the restoration of statehood and other constitutional rights of Jammu and Kashmir that were taken away after August 5, 2019. The party said that all stakeholders must come together to identify the key issues, formulate a strategy, and hold talks with the Centre in a united and coordinated manner.

Addressing a press conference at the party headquarters in Srinagar, Apni Party President Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari said that the party’s Political Affairs Committee had recently met to deliberate on the prevailing political situation, particularly the demand for the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.

“We observed that some political parties are trying to derive political mileage from this serious and sensitive issue,” he said.

Referring to the ruling National Conference (NC), Apni Party president said, “NC has announced that it will hold a protest at Jantar Mantar in the national capital on the opening day of Parliament’s Monsoon Session, demanding the restoration of statehood to J&K. Through this move, the NC is trying to reduce a broader issue to a party-specific demand, whereas the matter is far more important and requires collective efforts to persuade New Delhi to restore statehood and other constitutional rights of J&K.”

During the press conference, Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari was flanked by veteran party leaders.

He further said, “I had recently said at a convention in Jammu that the way the leaders and representatives of Ladakh and Kargil set aside their differences and united to pursue their demands with New Delhi, we too must unite to raise our genuine demands. Apni Party has always been of the opinion that whatever has to be received will come from New Delhi, not from anywhere else.”

“But, we have to speak in a united voice while urging the Centre to restore Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood and the other constitutional rights and guarantees that were taken away on August 5, 2019, and thereafter. Let all stakeholders come together to identify and prioritise the issues, formulate a roadmap, and then engage with the Centre in a coordinated and constructive manner. A confrontational approach towards the Centre will not serve our interests,” he added.

He said that Apni Party would support any joint effort to raise genuine issues with the Centre, no matter who initiates such an effort.

Meanwhile, Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari urged the Centre to initiate a dialogue with the people of Jammu and Kashmir, especially the youth, as had been promised by the Prime Minister and the Home Minister themselves.

He said, “The people of Jammu and Kashmir, especially our youth, are grappling with a range of serious challenges. There are lakhs of educated young people suffering due to unemployment. Corruption, deeply rooted in the system, has made the common man’s life miserable. We have a large number of people in prisons who deserve a pardon so that they can live normal lives with their families.”

He further said, “Statehood is our top priority, but at the same time, our other constitutional rights also need to be restored as soon as possible. Like there should be a reversal of the merger of the J&K IAS and KAS cadres with AGMUT. All other rights that were taken away from us should also be restored.”

Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari reiterated his demand for the reopening of tourist destinations that were closed last year following the terror attack in Pahalgam.

He said, “These closed tourist destinations must be reopened. If not now, during this peak tourist season, then when? Reopening these places would provide livelihoods to many families across the Valley, as their livelihoods are solely dependent on tourism and the economic activities associated with these destinations.”

Extending a welcome to the upcoming annual Amarnath Yatra, Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari said that the people of Jammu and Kashmir are ready to host the yatris, as they have always done. However, he stressed that during the Yatra period, common people should not be made to suffer unnecessarily on highways and other places.

He said, “The Yatra is a regular annual affair for us, and this pilgrimage has always been conducted smoothly. It is not an emergency situation. Therefore, it should not affect the routine lives of ordinary people. Necessary arrangements should be made to ensure that both the pilgrims and local residents can go about their activities without inconvenience.”

Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari reiterated his demand for the immediate conduct of Panchayat and Urban Local Body (ULB) elections in Jammu and Kashmir.

He said, “The elected government appears to have little interest in holding these elections because it believes that elected representatives of Panchayats and Urban Local Bodies will dilute the power and authority of MLAs. However, it must be understood that these institutions are among the most important pillars of a democratic system of governance. The election of nearly 17,000 men and women through these bodies will ultimately empower people at the grassroots level and strengthen democratic participation across Jammu and Kashmir.”