Srinagar: J&K Apni Party president Syed Altaf Bukhari on Tuesday said that his party was “regularly following up with the central government on various issues” discussed in the all-party meeting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired last month at New Delhi.
While addressing media persons on the sidelines of a function at the party headquarters, Bukhari said he was “unsure as to why Dr Farooq Abdullah made a statement that PM Modi was not doing a follow-up of the all-party meeting that was attended by 14 leaders from Jammu and Kashmir”.
“I don’t know on what basis Dr Farooq said that PM was not following up on the all-party meeting, and even PDP said the same thing. But as far the Apni Party, we are engaged and doing a rigorous follow up on the all-party meeting with the concerned quarters. As and when there is something concrete, I will be informing you,” Bukhari said.
Bukhari said the ongoing visit of President Ram Nath Kovind to Kashmir was “a welcome step” while asserting that any dialogue between India and Pakistan can be a “good step”.
Bukhari said that he was hopeful that the visit to Kashmir by President Kovind “must have provided him a good insight into the issues of the Valley”.
“I am hopeful that his visit to Kashmir will be for the overall prosperity of Jammu and Kashmir,” Bukhari said.
When asked that National Conference president Dr Farooq Abdullah has backed Indo-Pak dialogue, Bukhari said: “It is PM Modi or the External Affairs Minister who have a better perspective on the issue”. However, Bukhari added that “cordial relation between the two neighbouring countries is a good step especially for us”.