Apni Party vows to restore J&K statehood, release youth in election manifesto

Srinagar, Aug 21: The Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party, led by Syed Altaf Bukhari, has released its election manifesto, making key promises ahead of the upcoming state assembly elections.
The centrepiece of the party’s agenda is the restoration of full statehood for Jammu and Kashmir. The manifesto states that the J&K Apni Party will fight for the reversal of the 2019 decision to revoke the region’s special status and downgrade it to a union territory.

Another major promise is the quashing of the Public Safety Act (PSA) against Kashmiri youth who have not committed “heinous crimes.” The party has pledged to work towards the release of all such youth under a one-time amnesty program.
“Our agenda will be to release all those youth who have not committed heinous crimes and will work on releasing them under one time amnesty,” said Rafi Ahmad Mir, the party’s General Secretary, while addressing a press conference in Srinagar.
The manifesto also vows to protect the land, jobs, and the return of Kashmiri Pandits to the valley. It promises to restore the amended laws, the bicameral legislature, and the “Darbar Move” practice of shuffling the capital between Srinagar and Jammu.
On the economic front, the Apni Party has promised to provide 500 units of free electricity per month to every household in Kashmir during the winter season. It also pledged to regularize the jobs of all daily wage workers and casual laborers employed by the government.
The party has also promised to establish model schools with state-of-the-art facilities, including AI technology and bus services, at the block level. It has also vowed to provide four free LPG cylinders per year to BPL and AAY families, and subsidies for farmers on anti-hail nets and kerosene used for agricultural purposes.
Additionally, the manifesto promises more Kisan Credit Card (KCC) loans, the opening of new administrative offices in backward and remote areas, and the establishment of more bank branches in remote regions. It also pledges to set up tribal hostels for boys and girls.
Mir emphasized that the party’s primary focus will be on restoring the region’s statehood, protecting its identity and culture, and addressing the concerns of the youth and the marginalized sections of the population.
The release of the Apni Party’s manifesto comes at a crucial time, as Jammu and Kashmir prepares for its first state assembly elections since the reorganization of the erstwhile state in 2019. The party’s promises are seen as an attempt to win the trust of the people and present itself as a viable alternative to the traditional political parties in the region.