Altaf Bukhari promises general amnesty to all youth facing charges

Srinagar, Sep 14: Apni Party President Altaf Bukhari Saturday promised general amnesty to all the youth facing charges and emphasised the need for reconciliation to achieve justice for all victims in J&K.

Speaking to media persons during his ongoing public outreach campaign in Chanapora, Bukhari said, “The reconciliation is needed to ensure justice for all victims in J&K as the region has endured death and destruction since 1987.”

He said that over the years, J&K had witnessed a countless number of widows and orphans as a result of these tragedies.

Bukhari said that if the Apni Party receives a public mandate to serve, it would start by releasing all detainees and announcing a general amnesty for the youth facing charges.

He said that if the Apni Party forms the next government, it would ensure that “the eligibility criteria for domicile status in J&K require a minimum residency of 35 years, rather than 15 years”.

About the traditional parties accusing Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) leader Engineer Rashid of being a BJP agent and suggesting his release was part of a conspiracy, Bukhari said, “I believe that even Allah likes the release of prisoners. He was imprisoned and subsequently released by the court. No one has favoured him to secure his release.”

Taking a dig at the traditional parties, Bukhari said that these parties were responsible for the miseries that people had been facing here for the past several decades.

“Countless youth were killed, blinded by pellets, and imprisoned when the traditional parties were in power. No one came from Delhi to register FIRs against these young people. Now, the situation is such that many of these youngsters are not being given Police verification reports, which are mandatory for obtaining jobs and passports. Those who remained in power after 1987 are responsible for all this,” he said. “Sadly, none of the governments formed in 1996, 2002, 2009, and 2014 could provide solace to the victims. All these governments failed to secure the future of young generations.”