Party aims to bring prosperity, equitable development in all regions: Zafar Iqbal Manhas

Says people wants to end monopoly of dynastic rule in J&K

Poonch May 08 (KNS):   The Apni Party Senior Vice President, Ghulam Hassan Mir Wednesday accused the National Conference (NC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of pushing youth towards terrorism to fulfill their political ambition in Jammu and Kashmir.

Seeking an end to the gun-culture and making a plea to bring the younger generation towards the bright future, Mir said that the Apni Party has committed that it favours general amnesty for the detained youth so that they can return to their normal life.

Mir was addressing a public meeting that was organized in Mendhar Tehsil of Poonch District in Jammu Province.

The meeting was held following an impressive roadshow that was taken out by the Party leaders in which hundreds of people participated with large number of cavalcade of vehicles, and motorbikes that passed through different roads in Mendhar as a part of election campaign in favour of the Party candidate for Rajouri – Anantnag Parliamentary seat, Zafar Iqbal Manhas.

The Party’s District President in Poonch, Ex-MLA Shah Mohammed Tantray, and the District Committee members were also present on the occasion whereas the public meeting was organized by Vice President Youth Wing, Media Coordinator, and Spokesperson, Raqeeq Ahmed Khan.

While lauding the people for showing their enthusiasm and faith in the Party candidate, Ghulam Hassan Mir said that the people should come forward and vote in favour of Zafar Iqbal Manhas sahab, who is a local candidate.

He said that the Party has committed to implement welfare schemes for the people of Jammu as well as Kashmir i.e., 500 units of free electricity in Jammu region during summer season, and 300 units of free electricity during winter season.

He further said that the Party would enhance the widow/old age pension up to Rs 5000 from Rs 1000, will provide four cooking gas cylinders to each family per year under Ujjwala Scheme, and the enhancement of marriage assistance scheme up to Rs 1 lakhs for the girls from economically weaker sections.

Highlighting the welfare schemes to the people, he raised the question that the National Conference, and Peoples Democratic Party have failed to bring out their roadmap for development and welfare of the people.

In place of bringing out their roadmap, he questioned the intention of Dr Farooq Abdullah, President of the National Conference, for raising an inflammatory slogan in Kashmir yesterday, that shows they have become demoralized in these elections, and want the youth to again adopt the gun-culture.

“The terrorism got wings in Jammu and Kashmir because of the policy of promoting terrorism by these local political parties although they themselves kept close relations with Delhi. On the other hand, the same parties continued to create wedge between the people and the Govt of India for their political ambitions,” he said, while asking the youth to come forward and vote support the Party candidate in the scheduled elections for Rajouri-Anantnag seat, Zafar Iqbal Manhas.

Subsequently, he said that these parties showed the path of jails and graveyards to the youths of J&K for decades. However, the Apni Party opposed such policies.

While opposing the divisive policy of NC, he said that the Apni Party believes that the youth should adopt the path of development for their prosperous future.

He reminded the people that Delhi has accepted the demands of the Govts in Jammu and Kashmir, but these parties were responsible for the turbulent period in the erstwhile State.

As the Party has gained support from the region, he said that the National Conference has been frustrated as they are fearing defeat in the ongoing Parliamentary elections. Hence, its Chief Dr Farooq Abdullah gave a provocative speech yesterday in Kashmir.

“Unfortunately, Dr Abdullah wants his children to continue to rule Jammu and Kashmir and on the other hand, they want the children of the general masses to suffer by adopting violent means that would destroy their future. However, the Apni Party would not allow this to happen,” he said.

“We believe the issues can be resolved by talking to the Govt of India,” he said, while citing an example of peaceful situation that can be witnessed in Kashmir in the last several years in comparison to the rule of NC, and PDP in which hundreds of youths got killed and many sustained permanent disabilities.

He challenged the NC - PDP to showcase their roadmap that would bring employment, industrialization, peace, and development in Jammu and Kashmir.

“These parties always tried to create division between people, and regions by racking up controversial issues like self-rule, autonomy, emotionally exploited youth etc.

He also criticized them for their inability to provide electricity to the people of J&K, even as they were in rule, when they signed MoUs for hydroelectric projects.

“The NC, and PDP did nothing to generate employment, industrialization,” he alleged.

Meanwhile, Zafar Iqbal Manhas said that he wants to get the detained youth released from the custody. These youths were detained during the regime of National Conference, and PDP even as these youths were not armed.

He said that Jammu and Kashmir suffered most because of the dynastic rule by the NC, and PDP,

“As the people are not ready to believe them again, they have extended support to the Apni Party,” he added.

Speaking in Pahari language, he assured that he would fight to ensure a Parliamentary seat for Pir – Panjal, Hill Development Council on the patron of Leh-Kargil, promotion of tourism, equitable development, policy for employment generation and infrastructural development.

Expressing gratitude to the people for expressing their support to him, he said that he is committed to bridge the gaps and differences between the communities, and the regions.

Earlier, District President, Poonch, Ex-MLA Shah Mohammed Tantry also spoke on the occasion and highlighted the welfare schemes of the Party.

He said that the Party is aimed to bring equal development in all the regions and end the discrimination regarding the distribution of funds, protection to the jobs, and land for locals.(KNS)