Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Oct 5: Apni Party president Altaf Bukhari Tuesday evening led a high-level party delegation to meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah at Rajbhawan in Srinagar.
The delegation submitted a memorandum that contained several demands including restoration of statehood to J&K, holding of Assembly elections, the release of detainees, transparent recruitments, resolution of the issues of the fruit industry etc.
During the meeting, Union Home Minister assured Apni Party leaders that the statehood of Jammu and Kashmir will be restored soon after the Assembly elections are held here.
Besides, Bukhari the delegation included senior vice president Ghulam Hassan Mir, Chairman Political affairs Committee Mohd Dilawar Mir, vice presidents Ch Zulfikar, Aijaz Ahmad Khan, Zaffar Iqbal Manhas, Usman Majid, Javaid Mustaffa Mir, general secretary Rafi Ahmad Mir, Provincial president Mohd Ashraf Mir, chief coordinator Abdul Majeed Padder, president for party’s Youth Wing Junaid Azim Mattu, Provincial president Jammu Manjeet Singh, general secretaries Vijay Bakaya and Syed Asgar Ali.
A party spokesman said that AP leaders had detailed conversation with the Home Minister on several important issues. The meeting was held in a conducive atmosphere and the Home Minister was kind enough to pay attention to the demands and issues that the leaders raised during the meeting.
The AP also demanded transparent and fast recruitments in J&K, release of jailed youth, ensure stoppage of tax-free apple imports from Iran via Afghanistan for the safeguard of domestic fruit industry.
They said the apple industry, worth Rs 12,000 crore, is the backbone of Jammu and Kashmir’s economy. As many as 3.5 million persons are directly or indirectly dependent on the apple trade, contributing about 8% to the region’s GDP. The fruit growers and traders, however, have faced multiple hardships and downslides since January 2020 due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 Pandemic. The apple trade at present is also marred by low prices for the produce. The rates, according to the farmers, have plummeted to half in what many see as an outcome of tax-free imports from Iran via Afghanistan which affects the economy of J&K.
They also demanded completion of projects like Sadhna Tunnel, Mughal Road Tunnel, Sinthan tunnel and Lolab-Bandipora tunnel. AP leaders sought raising additional special battalions, particularly in border regions to create job opportunities.
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