Apni Party President Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari on Saturday lamented the disparity and neglect faced by the North Kashmir at the hands of veteran political leaders who reached successful heights forsaking the contribution of their electorate.
Bukhari was speaking at the sidelines of a joining ceremony at Chijhama Rafiabad in Baramulla district where Peoples Conference senior leader Khurshid Ahmad Khan joined Apni Party. Khan joined the party along with scores of his associates and supporters.
Bukhari said that there exists a staggering developmental disparity between North Kashmir and rest of the regions of J&K for which those who have enjoyed power corridors must be held accountable.
“North Kashmir reflects a scenario where development has taken a heavy toll. My heart aches to witness such a disparity. The political leaders who built their careers, contesting elections from this region need to be asked about the lack of infrastructure and public welfare works. I am sure there will be no answer to that,” Bukhari remarked.
The joining ceremony took place in presence of Former Minister and Chairman Apni Party Parliamentary Committee Mohammad Dilawar Mir, Party Provincial President Kashmir Mohammad Ashraf Mir, Spokesperson & Mentor Baramulla-Kupwara Districts Javid Beigh, District President Baramulla Shoiab Lone, District President Kupwara Raja Manzoor, Party Leader Yawar Mir, Coordinator North Fazal Beigh, Provincial Secretary Altaf Malik, DDC Member and Apni Party Women Leader Parmeet Kour, Party Leader Rafiq Batote, BDC Dangiwacha Shamshada along with prominent activists Mohammad Ashraf, Ghulam Hassan Dar, Javid Ahmad, Sajad Ahmad, Bashir Ahmad and Umar Kakroo.
Welcoming Khan into the party fold, Bukhari said that his joining will further strengthen the Party cadres in North Kashmir and Apni Party leadership will continue its efforts for bridging the developmental gap between the regions of J&K.
“We have always advocated for the equitable development of Jammu and Kashmir without any prejudice. Our narrative has always remained consistent whether in Jammu, Kashmir or Delhi. We have called spade and spade since day one as our prime concern is to redress the grievances of the public,” he observed.
Bukhari said after the abrogation of Article-370 all the traditional political parties in J&K maintained a criminal silence while people kept on looking for a voice that could provide comfort to their pressing concerns.
“After August 05, Apni Party unreservedly started talks with New Delhi just to lend a ray of hope to our people who felt immensely dejected and panicked. We have never promised things to the people that are baseless and fraudulent rather we have initiated tangible political processes across J&K,” he said.
Bukhari ridiculed political parties who deceived the people of J&K during DDC elections while saying that through such elections Article-370 and 35-A would be restored soon. “DDC elections, as you know, were purely meant for development. But the traditional parties, out of their old habits, raised these hollow slogans for which they should be made answerable by the public,” he pleaded.
On this occasion, Khurshid Ahmad Khan thanked the Party leadership for carving out a niche in the political arena of Jammu and Kashmir in a record time. He said that it was the agenda and practical approach of the Apni Party that motivated him to join it and work for the betterment of the people under this umbrella.