President of All Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Conference—an apex body of Panchayats, Mr. Shafiq Mir along with the members of his association on Thursday joined Apni Party at its office in Lal Chowk Srinagar.
The joining took place in presence of Party president Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari, senior vice president Ghulam Hassan Mir, state secretary, and district president Budgam Muntazir Mohi-ud-Din, spokesperson Javid Hassan Baig, provincial vice president Jagmohan Singh Raina, district president Srinagar Noor Mohammad Sheikh, district president Baramulla Shoaib Lone, party media advisor Farooq Andrabi and provincial secretary Nazir Dailgami.
While announcing the merger of All Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Conference with Apni Party, Mr. Shafiq Mir said that the unique socio-economic and political agenda and the vision of its leadership distinguishes Apni Party from the rest of regional political parties.
He stated that Apni Party is the only party capable of addressing the challenges faced by the people of Jammu and Kashmir in the prevailing political circumstances.
Mir remarked that the regional political parties in J&K have been doing emotive politics since decades and have never allowed the strengthening of the grassroots level democracy for their narrow political considerations.
“Those political parties that were sofar averse to the idea of holding Panchayat elections in J&K during its first and second tiers have now realized that they will be rendered irrelevant if they don’t participate in the elections to the third tier of Panchayat Raj. So they have jumped into the fray,” Mir observed.
He said that people in Jammu and Kashmir are enough mature to judge the political gimmicks of these parties. “The signatories of Gupkar declaration tried to become politically relevant by raising hollow slogans to hoodwink the people. On the contrary, Apni Party stood the ground firmly with its unwavering political stand which has now been acknowledged by all its political adversaries,” he said, adding that this unflinching stand and pragmatic politics motivated him to join the Apni Party.
On this occasion, a noted socio-political activist from district Baramulla Mr. Fazal Baig also joined Apni Party. He said that his joining was aimed at working for the welfare of people in his area. “I was convinced by Apni Party’s agenda and this motivated me to work under this banner for the welfare of the general public,” Baig added.
Apni Party president Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari and party’s senior functionaries welcomed Mr. Shafiq Mir his association and Mr. Fazal Baig into the party fold.
Addressing the ceremony, Bukhari said that Apni Party is delighted with the joining of a leader who has always identified himself with the rank and file at grassroots level and has worked very hard for the mitigation of public grievances through the forum of Panchayat Raj.
“Mr. Shafiq Mir and his association has worked tirelessly for the existence of Panchayat institutions across J&K and the success achieved sofar in restorations of grassroots level democratic set up in J&K mainly goes to his credit,” Bukhari remarked.
He said that Apni Party has from day one believed in peoples’ empowerment and this political goal can be archived only by strengthening the Panchayat Raj institutions.
“Time for traditional and emotive politics is over. I hope people will give a reply to the political parties as they deserve in the upcoming elections. I am also hopeful that with the joining of Mr. Shafiq Mir, Apni Party cadre will get further strengthened which will ultimately result in the alleviation of peoples woes and sufferings across J&K,” he observed.
