Veteran politician Mohammad Syed Akhoon joins Apni Party
JK News Today
Srinagar, July 30: Veteran politician and former National Conference (NC) stalwart Mohammad Syed Akhoon on Thursday joined Apni Party along with a large number of his associates and supporters.
A seasoned political leader, Akhoon has represented the Hazratbal constituency multiple times as a member of the Legislative Assembly and is widely recognised for his long public and political career.
He was formally welcomed into the party by the president Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari and other senior party leaders during a special joining ceremony held at the party headquarters in Srinagar.
The event was attended by prominent party functionaries, who welcomed Akhoon’s entry into the party.
Addressing the gathering on the occasion, Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari said that he was confident Mohammad Syed Akhoon’s wisdom, and decades of political experience would greatly benefit Apni Party. He added that Akhoon’s association with the party would further strengthen its vision and reinforce its commitment to serving the people with sincerity and dedication.
Mr Bukhari said, “I, personally and on behalf of my party colleagues, wholeheartedly welcome Akhoon Sahib into Apni Party.
His joining is far more than any electoral dividends that the party could gain by his presence. His wisdom, integrity, and decades of rich political experience will undoubtedly strengthen the party and serve as a guiding force in our collective journey.”
He added, “It gives me immense pleasure to welcome Akhoon Sahib into the Apni Party family, and I am sure that his presence will add tremendous value to our vision and mission of serving the people.”
He further said that, unlike traditional political parties, Apni Party does not belong to any individual or family. Rather, it belongs to the masses and is open to everyone who is genuinely committed to serving the people with honesty, sincerity, and selfless dedication.”
Recalling the time when Apni Party was established in March 2020, Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari, “This party was established at a time when launching a new political party was probably not an appropriate or a good time. However, my colleagues and I had no other choice but to create this political platform so that we could stand firmly with the people of Jammu and Kashmir during one of the most challenging periods in their history.”
“Apni Party was founded with a clear purpose—to serve the people, safeguard their interests, and provide them with a credible political platform when they needed it the most,” he added.
“I invite everyone who genuinely and sincerely wants to serve the people to join this platform. It is open to all who are willing to contribute to the struggle for protecting the rights and dignity of our people. Let us join hands in this noble cause and work together to build a stronger future. This is everyone’s party—that is why it is called Apni Party,” he said.
Expressing his grave concern over ruling party’s negligence towards public issues, Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari said,
“It appears that since August 5, 2019, our traditional political parties have had only one priority. That is to gain power and remain in power, despite the fact that those in office today have very little real authority.”
He went in to say,
“In fact, it often seems that the Chief Secretary enjoys more power and authority than the Chief Minister.
The situation is evident from the government’s inability to restore the public holiday in memory of Late Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah. Its leaders are not even permitted to officially observe Martyrs’ Day on July 13.”
However, Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari blamed the ruling party for choosing this powerlessnees by it self. He said, “This powerlessness did not come as a surprise. They accepted it willingly. By choosing to contest the Assembly elections, they effectively accepted the legitimacy of the Reorganization Act that was unilaterally imposed on August 5, 2019.”
He further said, “Not only did they agree to participate in elections under a system that significantly reduced the powers of an elected government, they also buried the so-called PAGD, which they had formed with the promise of fighting for the restoration of Articles 370 and 35A, along with the constitutional rights that were taken away on August 5, 2019.”
“They have surrendered on every front. Today, they do not even speak about the issues that people are struggling with. They remain silent on the plight of detainees and other pressing public concerns,” he added.
Expressing his concern over political parties accusing and criticising on eachother on small matter while ignoring the genuine public issues and grivences, Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari said,
“Political parties seem more interested in attacking one another than addressing the real concerns of the people. What message does this constant political mockery send to our youth? They expect political parties to fulfil their responsibilities by focusing on pressing issues such as rising unemployment and other serious challenges.”
He further said, “How disappointing it must be for the people of Srinagar city to see that politicians and political parties appear least concerned about their problems and grievances.”
He said that people in the city are grappling with a range of issues, yet no political party including the ruling party which has got mandate for the people in the city do not try to address their issues.
“The people of the city continue to struggle with serious issues, including a lack of employment opportunities, inadequate housing, poor public infrastructure, and even basic civic facilities such as an efficient drainage system.
At times, the condition of Srinagar does not reflect that of a capital city. Instead, it appears as though it has been neglected like a remote or border area,” he said.
“People are not asking for the moon and the stars. They are simply demanding basic necessities and essential public services. Unfortunately, political parties and politicians seem least concerned about these genuine issues,” Apni Party President added.
Speaking on the occasion, Syed Akhoon expressed his pleasure and satisfaction over his decision to join Apni Party.
He said he is confident that the party would continue to work sincerely for the welfare and development of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
Recalling his disagreement with NC leadership when he was one of the vertren and prominent leader of that party, he said, “During a meeting, I warned the leadership against making unrealistic promises in the election manifesto. I told them that this time Jammu and Kashmir was a Union Territory, not a state. That meant the new government would have limited powers and would not be able to deliver on grand promises.”
He added, “I urged them not to mislead the people. I told them they would not be able to provide 200 units of free electricity, free LPG cylinders to households, government jobs, additional ration quotas, or several other promises they were making. But they did not listen.
As a result, they ended up disappointing the very people who trusted them. Today, many people rightly believe they were misled by the false promises made by the NC leadership during the election campaign.”
Besides Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari, the prominent party leaders who were present on the occasion and who welcomed Syed Mohammad Akhoon and his associates, included party’s Senior Vice President Ghulam Hassan Mir, Chairman PAC Mohammad Dilawar Mir, General Secretary Rafi Ahmed Mir, Provincial President Kashmir Mohammad Ashraf Mir, Chief Spokesperson & State Secretary Muntazir Mohiudin, Media Advisor Farooq Andrabi, State Youth President & Spokesperson Yawar Dilawar Mir, District President Srinagar Zaffar Habib, Provincial Secretary Kashmir Mohammad Saleem Lone, Provincial Coordinator Kashmir Shabir Ahmad Reshi, Organiser Provincial Secretary Kashmir Mohammad yousuf Sofi, Constituency Incharge Hazratbal Mohammad Sidiq Mir, Constituency Incharge Habba Kadal Jeelani Hamid Kumar, Constituency Incharge Zadibal Tehseen Farooq, Constituency Incharge Kangan Atta Mohammad Qamar, Youth District Vice President Srinagar Mudasir Ahmed Bhat, Youth Joint Secretary Srinagar Mudasir Wali, Zonal President (Rural) Farooq Ahmad Magray, Zone Secretary Hazratbal Ali Mohammad Bhat, Ward President Hyderpora Sheikh Muzaffar Ali, Ward President Mehjoor Nagar Mukhatar Ahmed Khan, Ward President Bage-e-Mehtab Nazir Beigh, Senior Leader Mohwmmad Hussain Bhat, Senior Leader Abdul Hamid Dar, Senior Leader Sameer Iqbal, Firdous Ahmed, and others.
