Srinagar, October 9 (KNS): Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party President Altaf Bukhari on Thursday said that the time has come for the political leadership of Jammu and Kashmir to unite on the issue of statehood and engage honestly with Delhi to restore the rights of the people.

Speaking to the media after a core group meeting at the party headquarters in Srinagar, Bukhari said promises made by the Prime Minister and Home Minister about dialogue with the youth of Jammu and Kashmir have not been fulfilled.

According to KNS, he said people were told there would be outreach, but there has been no engagement. "Is this also a promise?" he asked, adding that Jammu and Kashmir is not Bihar or Delhi, and has its own geographical and political context with borders shared with Pakistan, China, and Afghanistan.

Bukhari criticised the political environment in the region, calling it a "fixed match" where both the opposition and ruling parties play roles without delivering for the people. He accused some parties of deflecting blame and doing little to address unemployment or prevent youth from being jailed. "All communities that have reached this stage are only defaming each other. If they were doing something for the people, our youth would not be in jail."

Referring to the recent past, he said that after the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019, it became clear that the people of J&K need to be united. "Elections are fine, we contest each other. But it is the government’s duty to support everyone afterward.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp ChannelUnfortunately, villages that voted against them are being excluded from development."

He said Apni Party has never sought power for personal gain but to help people recover from the uncertainty post-2019. “If we had been trusted in the past elections, we might have had a chance to change things. But people easily believe lies and ignore the truth.”

On economic issues, Bukhari pointed to the poor condition of roads, the decline of the tourism sector, and the collapse of the horticulture industry. He demanded immediate rent relief and subsidies for farmers and questioned why available development funds remain unspent.

He also criticised the arrest and relocation of Kashmiri youth to jails outside the region, calling it unjust. “Bring them back. At least spare them the suffering of being jailed far from home.”

Bukhari appealed to voters to use the upcoming by-elections as a form of protest. “This election is not about victory or forming a government. It is about registering the truth. Those who change colours between night and morning must be exposed.”

He said Apni Party’s role will continue with patience and that the party will defend the rights of the youth and raise its voice wherever necessary. Bukhari warned that the BJP’s tactics during national elections often come at the cost of Kashmir's youth. “Do not get emotional. Defeat every attempt to use J&K as an electoral tool.”(KNS).