Apni Party President, Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari, on Saturday, said that “traditional parties deliberately subjected the residents of Srinagar city, Shehr-e-Khas, to unnecessary sufferings, solely for their personal political advantages.”
He said that “these leaders exploited the innocence of the city dwellers by keeping them engaged in disputes like Sher-Bakra and India-Pakistan, and so on. Their aim was to keep the pot boiling and ensure their political dividends out of the turmoil.”
Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari made these remarks today while addressing a party convention in the Habba Kadal area of Srinagar’s Shehr-e-Khas.
In his speech, the President of the Apni Party expressed his heartfelt sympathies with the people residing in the city, saying that most of the population here lives under difficult circumstances, lacking adequate housing, financial resources, and job opportunities.
He said, “It pains me to see that most of the population in downtown Srinagar endures challenging conditions marked by inadequate housing, financial constraints, and a lack of employment opportunities. I know that they have been pushed into this situation over the years and decades by the traditional political parties and their leaders, who kept the people of the city busy with conflicts like Sher-Bakra, India-Pakistan, and so on, only to gain their own political advantages out of these conflicts.”
“The educated young boys and girls from the city are grappling with the lack of employment opportunities, as they neither have avenues for doing businesses nor do they fall into any reserved category to benefit from the government job markets. Many of these boys and girls have surpassed their marriageable age, either because they do not have proper avenues for earning or they lack adequate housing to raise a family,” he added.
Talking about the glorious past of downtown Srinagar, Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari remarked, “This historic city has been an epicentre of rich culture and civilisation for centuries. Moreover, this city has been the abode of the masters of different traditional crafts and skills. It is only due to political apathy, misleading narratives, and misrepresentations that the present generation finds itself grappling with challenges and dilemmas.”
However, Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari promised that when Apni Party gets a public mandate to serve, it would not only create employment opportunities and modernized housing in Shere-e-Khas but will also undertake the task of restoring the ancient glory of this historic city.
He said, “I assure you that Apni Party has a clear vision for the prosperity and development of this city. Once we get the mandate, we will ensure the well-being and prosperity of the people here. We will change the scenario of this Shere-e-Khas for the better.”
Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari also promised that he would ensure that the people who are in jail are released and back home to restart their normal lives.
He said, “Following the events of August 5, 2019, the entire Jammu and Kashmir was in great chaos for several months, and thousands of people were in jails. At that time, people were apprehensive that after the abrogation of Article 370 and 35A, Jammu and Kashmir would lose their demography and thus its identity. At that crucial stage, my colleagues and I came forward to meet the leaders in New Delhi. We ensured that the people of J&K continued to have exclusive rights to agricultural land and jobs here. Also, we ensured the release of thousands of people who had been detained post-August 5. However, there are still hundreds of people in jails, and I promise you that we will leave no stone unturned to ensure their release and return home so that they can restart their normal lives with their families.”
He appealed to people to vote for Mohammad Ashraf Mir, the party’s candidate for Srinagar, in the Lok Sabha elections.
He said, “I request you to give us a chance to serve you. This is also an opportunity for you to rid yourself of the exploitative politicians from the traditional parties. They have consistently damaged your interests through their misleading narratives and hollow promises. This is the time to choose to change for a better future.”
