Srinagar, June 16, KDC: Apni Party President Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari on Tuesday expressed concern over the ongoing “pakad-dhakad” (crackdown and arrests) in various parts of Kashmir, asserting that there is no justification for random detentions at a time when Jammu and Kashmir has been witnessing sustained peace and normalcy.
Addressing a party function at the Apni Party headquarters in Srinagar, Bukhari as per Kashmir Dot Com reiterated his long-standing demand for amnesty for detainees, saying justice requires that those who have spent years in prison without conclusion of their cases be given an opportunity to return to normal life with their families.
“I have consistently conveyed to the administration and the government, including the Hon’ble Prime Minister and the Hon’ble Home Minister, that it is imperative to consider granting amnesty to these prisoners. I firmly believe that they deserve to be pardoned,” Bukhari said.
He said that, except for those involved in heinous crimes, all detainees should be released. Even those accused of serious offences, he added, are entitled to fair and expeditious trials and should not remain incarcerated indefinitely without their cases reaching a conclusion.
Referring to the Apni Party’s vision, Bukhari said the party had promised ahead of the 2024 Assembly elections that, if elected to power, it would announce an amnesty for prisoners. He said the proposal envisaged releasing detainees upon their undertaking to shun violence and remain loyal to the country, but the party did not receive the electoral mandate to implement the plan.
Stressing that Jammu and Kashmir’s issues can only be resolved within the framework of India, Bukhari said the people’s grievances and demands should be addressed by the country’s own institutions and not by external powers.
He also renewed his appeal to the Centre to initiate dialogue with the people, particularly the youth of Jammu and Kashmir, to address their concerns and grievances effectively.
The event was organised to welcome dozens of political and social activists from South Kashmir’s Tral area into the Apni Party fold. The new entrants, including men and women previously associated with the National Conference, PDP and Congress, were formally inducted into the party in the presence of senior Apni Party leaders. (KDC)
