Mazhar Iqbal
Surankote, Poonch, J&K (India): Apni Party President Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari on Friday called for urgent reforms in the health and education sectors, saying people in remote and border areas of Jammu and Kashmir continue to suffer due to inadequate infrastructure and shortage of professional manpower.
Addressing a gathering of party workers at the Dak Bungalow in Surankote, Poonch, during his outreach tour of the Pir Panjal region, Bukhari said qualified doctors and teachers should be appointed in far-flung areas and required to serve there for a fixed period.
He said the government must focus on bridging the development deficit in remote and border regions through long-term planning and concrete measures to strengthen essential services.
Bukhari said feedback received during his five-day tour highlighted several pressing public issues, including the non-construction of promised safety bunkers in border areas.
“We have seen how vulnerable border residents are to cross-border shelling and firing. The Centre had promised community and individual bunkers, but that commitment remains unfulfilled,” he said, urging the government to expedite their construction.
He reiterated that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India and said the Apni Party would continue to press New Delhi to restore the constitutional rights of the people and address their grievances.
Referring to the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A, Bukhari termed the developments of August 5, 2019, as painful and said there is a need for constructive engagement and meaningful dialogue between New Delhi and the people of Jammu and Kashmir to bridge the trust deficit.
He also stressed the need to rehabilitate misguided youth and provide them opportunities to lead dignified lives.
Speaking on the occasion, Apni Party Senior Vice President Ghulam Hassan Mir expressed concern over rising unemployment and said the government has failed to create adequate opportunities for educated youth.
“Our youth are our greatest asset and must be guided towards peace, prosperity and development,” he said, adding that the party remains committed to securing a better future for them.
Provincial President Manjit Singh appealed to people to strengthen the Apni Party, saying it has consistently worked to protect the rights and interests of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
Several senior party leaders, including Shah Mohammad Tantray, Bodraj Baghat, Saleem Chowdary, Badrinath Sharma, Rafiq Ahmad Khan, Surjan Singh and Massarat Hayat Malik, were also present at the meeting.
