STATE TIMES NEWS
SRINAGAR: Emphasising the need for confidence-building measures (CBMs) to enhance prevailing peace and strengthen democracy in Jammu and Kashmir, Apni Party chief Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari on Thursday appealed to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, to take necessary action and announce the required CBMs to facilitate the ongoing transformation towards a more peaceful and harmonious environment in the region.
In his statement issued here, Bukhari, while urging the Union Home Minister to announce CBMs, said, “One of the major CBMs would be the announcement of assembly elections in J&K in order to enable the people to exercise their constitutional right to choose their own representatives, thereby promoting a stronger democratic process in the region.”
“Even, those who earlier would believe in boycott politics are now eagerly waiting for the upcoming assembly polls so that the democratically elected representatives could take charge of the affairs here. Thus, this is the ripe time to take the required actions for fostering peace and strengthening democracy in J&K, which has been grappling with the unconducive environment for quite the past several decades. Holding assembly elections would help in fostering an inclusive and participatory environment where the aspirations of the people could be addressed effectively.”He added.
Welcoming the Amarnath Yatra, which is commencing soon, Bukhari said that “the sprite of this traditional yatra has always played a pivotal role in fostering religious harmony, strengthening cultural bonds, and yielding significant economic benefits.”