Ishfaq Jabbar extends unconditional support to Apni Party’s LS candidate

Jabbar made this announcement today during a press conference held at a hotel in Srinagar. Apni Party’s Senior Vice President Ghulam Hassan Mir, and Provincial President Mohammad Ashraf Mir, who is the party’s candidate for the LS polls in the Srinagar constituency, was also present at the press conference.

Ishfaq Jabbar Said, “We have decided to support the candidate from the Apni Party in the Lok Sabha elections for the Srinagar constituency. This decision was made in the best interests of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. I firmly believe that we must oppose the parties that have greatly harmed the interests of the people of J&K. Therefore, we will ensure that Mohammad Ashraf Mir is elected as a Member of Parliament representing the Srinagar constituency.”

Pertinently, Ishfaq Jabbar is one of the prominent political figures in Ganderbal. Like his late father, Sheikh Jabbar, who served as a minister in Jammu and Kashmir, Ishfaq Jabbar holds vast influence over the people in the district.

Taking a dig at the NC and PDP, Ishfaq Jabbar said, “The National Conference (NC) has now openly come forward to join hands with Shiv Sena. Previously, leaders of both the NC and PDP adamantly stated that they would abstain from participating in elections until Article 370 was reinstated. However, they have suddenly forgotten their pledge and jumped into the poll fray. These parties have consistently harmed the interests of the people.”

He expressed grave concern over the prevailing situation in Jammu and Kashmir, stating that like-minded parties need to come forward to work for the well-being of the people. He said, “We cannot afford further deaths and destruction in this land. We have already suffered greatly. The future of traditional leaders and their children is secure; they live in London. But we need to think of the vulnerable young population here. Look at the drug menace. We cannot afford to watch this situation as silent spectators. We need to work for the peace and prosperity here.”

He also demanded the establishment of a commission to ascertain the reasons for the eruption of violence in the 1990s in Jammu and Kashmir.

He said, “A commission must be established to uncover the reasons and factors behind militancy here. The infamous rigging in the 1987 assembly elections also needs to be investigated.”

Ghulam Hassan Mir extended his gratitude to Ishfaq Jabbar for his support to the Apni Party candidate. He said, “We are thankful to the Jammu and Kashmir United Movement (JKUM) and its leader for extending support to our candidate, Mohammad Ashraf Mir. I am sure that this support will significantly bolster our campaign.”

Replying to a question, Ghulam Hassan Mir said, “We are not fundamentally against parties like NC and PDP; rather, we oppose their political narrative. Their narrative has widened the gap between Jammu and Kashmir and the rest of the country, thus adversely affecting the interests of our people. Thousands of our youth have been misled by the deceptive narratives and emotional rhetoric of these parties. They have led our youth down a path of destruction, resulting in thousands either ending up in jails or in graveyards.”