Srinagar, Apr 18 (KNS): Former finance minister Altaf Bukharo today said it was time to rise above the party system and vote for a strong candidate who can talk about Kashmir issue in the parliament of India.

Hinting that he has voted for National Conference candidate Farooq Abdullah, Bukhari said Farooq Abdullah is a strong candidate among all the people who were in election fray for the Srinagar parliamentary seat.

As per Kashmir News Service (KNS) correspondent, Bukhari while talking to reporters said the attacks on the special identity of Jammu and Kashmir need to be defended and only a person like Farooq Abdullah can do that in the parliament.

“I feel we need to send a strong leader to the parliament. We need to send those leaders to the parliament who can make a strong stand for Kashmir cause,” Bukhari said.

Admitting that the previous government in which he was a strong minister holding the portfolio of education and later on finance, failed to respect the aspirations of the people, Bukhari said youth who are on the streets pelting stones, it is always a responsibility of the government to make atmosphere conducive and restore normalcy which the previous government completely failed. (KNS)