Situation in J&K normal, waiting for EC to announce polls: Apni party president Bukhari

Jammu, April 11 (PTI) Asserting that the situation in Jammu and Kashmir is as normal as in any other part of the country, Apni Party president Altaf Bukhari on Tuesday credited the youth for choosing peace over violence.

The former minister said his party is ready for assembly elections and is waiting for an announcement by the Election Commission.

He claimed that not a single youth has joined militancy in the Union Territory over the past eight months.

“J&K is as normal as any other place in the country. Over the past eight months, not a single local youth joined militancy and we congratulate the people and the security forces for this achievement,” Bukhari told reporters here.

He said smuggling of narcotics from across the border has emerged as the major challenge rather than the gun.

“Our present challenge is drugs and not guns. The government of India is more mature to decide what should be done or not,” Bukhari said.

He was responding to a question about demands from certain quarters for the resumption of cross-border trade in J&K alongside efforts for a “religious corridor” to facilitate pilgrims to visit Sharada Peeth in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

Asked about the situation in the aftermath of the abrogation of Article 370, he said the credit for the restoration of peace in J&K goes to the youth who have chosen peace over war.

“The youth have replied to everybody the neighbour (Pakistan) and the leaders – that we only want peace. They have given a clear-cut message that their rhetoric has no takers,” he said, adding “there is peace and it will prevail Insha Allah (god willing).”

On the possibility of assembly elections within the next six months, he said the world exists on hope. “We are ready for the elections and we are the only party that is on its toes since 2020 to reach out to the people.”

Lauding the efforts of Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari in the construction of roads across the country, Bukhari thanked him for sanctioning a tunnel for the Mughal road connecting the twin districts of Poonch and Rajouri in Jammu with south Kashmir’s Shopian.

He said Gadkari had kept his promise made to the people of J&K in 2015 and requested the minister to set a timeline for the completion of the project

He also demanded the setting up of a task force to monitor the four-laning of Jammu-Srinagar national highway project.

“The road network is important for our economy and tourism sector. We want the minister to continue his generosity towards J&K which really needs his support. Your name will be written in golden letters,” Bukhari said.