Sources say that Apni Party is also likely to include Kashmiri Pandits which, if true, will be an important development on the way to reintegrate and normalise the community's involvement with the region.
A former minister of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) has launched a political party called the 'Apni Party' in the union territory. This is the first of any such political outfits to be lost in the region after the abrogation of Article 370 of the Indian Constitution on August, 2019, which led to the revocation of the special status for the erstwhile state and its subsequent bifurcation.
At least 31 political leaders are expected to join the party, including former ministers and MLAs from parties such as the Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party (JKPDP), Jammu & Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) and the Congress.
"It is a very happy occasion that finally we have come up with our party known as Apni Party. It puts a lot of responsibility on us as the expectations and challenges are huge. I assure people of Jammu and Kashmir that my will is strong to surmount these challenges in the interest of my people," Bukhari told exclusively to ANI.
"We are not here to sell dreams and fantasies but will always be pragmatic, honest and fair in our approach. We have resolved to create a political platform where people are real stakeholders of the political process," Bukhari said at the launch of the party.
"After August 5, a lot has changed. People are in despair, tourism is reduced to zero and local industries have closed down. In that view, challenges are very huge. It is an endeavour to see how we can restore the semblance of these things," he added.
According to reports, the party was launched specifically on International Women's Day to mark the occasion.
Sources say that Apni Party is also likely to include Kashmiri Pandits which, if true, will be an important development on the way to reintegrate and normalise the community's involvement with the region. It could be seen as the beginning of the political process in the region outside of the "family rule party system."
"People here are feeling the absence of credible voices, who can take up their issues and get them sorted," Bukhari stressed.
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 "Altaf Bukhari at the launch of the J&K Apni Party in Kashmir on March 8, 2020")
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