SRINAGAR,

:Former Minister and Ex-MLA Chadoora Javaid Mustafa Mir on Monday joined Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party at its Central office in M2-Church Lane, Sonawar, Srinagar.

Mir who has been a three-time MLA from Chadoora constituency, was welcomed by the Party leadership including its President Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari who described his joining as a significant achievement for the Party.

“We all (Apni Party Leadership) are honoured by Javid Saheb’s joining. He has not only been a former colleague but has always shared a personal relationship with all of us,” Bukhari observed.

He said that Mr. Mir is a people’s leader and enjoys a position earned through his tireless efforts for the betterment of the people. “Javaid Saheb has got his public welfare traits from his late father Ghulam Mustafa Mir sahib who was a mass leader and had dedicated his whole life for the empowerment of people,” he added.

Bukhari said that Apni Party is committed to restore the dignity and honour of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. “Let our critics say whatever they want to say but we will never shy away from our responsibility of raising our voice for the interests of the people of J&K,” he added.

He said that Apni Party came into existence to take people of J&K out from the morass and we will continue to work in this direction. “It is Apni Party that ensured that the rights of the residents of J&K on their land and jobs are safeguarded. We always rose to the occasion against all such moves that were aimed at jeopardizing the rights and interests of the people. Apni Party pledges to continue its struggle in this direction come what may,” he remarked.

While thanking Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha for addressing the demand of NEET PG aspirants by postponing J&K government’s decision on participation in All India Quota seats Bukhari appealed to the Lt. Governor to review government decision on re-engagement of retired engineers in J&K.

“We have an alarming rate of unemployment in J&K. Our brilliant engineers are without jobs. So my request to Lt. Governor is to kindly review this decision and engage the unemployed engineers first. The positions of JEs, AEs, AEEs, EXEns should be reserved and not to be filled by the retired engineers,” he demanded.

Bukhari said the government needs to address the genuine demands of unemployed engineers who crave for a dignified livelihood on the analogy of terminated NRHM workers.

Speaking on the occasion, Javaid Mustafa Mir, who was elected President of the Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Movement observed that Apni Party has been at the forefront for the protection of rights and welfare of Jammu and Kashmir residents.

“I am grateful to the Apni Party leadership for this rousing welcome. My priority is to serve the people and Apni Party is a better platform to work for the socio-economic and political empowerment of the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” Mir averred.

After winning the 2002 Assembly elections, Mir was inducted as the Minister of State for Power Development Department up to 2005. In 2007, he became the Minister of State for Rural Development Department, Panchayati Raj, Science & Technology and Information Technology. In 2008 Mir was elected 2nd time MLA from Chadoora. During this term in the opposition, Mir was known in the Assembly for having a bold voice and as an honest personality.

He fought 2014 Assembly election and emerged as a winner for the third term consecutively from Chadoora. After winning the elections, he became Minister for Revenue, which he maintained until January 2016. In 2017 he was again inducted into the cabinet as the Minister for Disaster Management & Relief Rehabilitation and Floriculture and was in office until 2018.

His joining ceremony at Apni Party office was attended by Party’s Senior Vice President Ghulam Hassan Mir, Party Senior Leader Mohammad Dilawar Mir, General Secretary Rafi Ahmad Mir, Provincial President Kashmir Mohammad Ashraf Mir, Additional General Secretary Hilal Ahmad Shah, State Secretary Muntazir Mohi-u-Din, Media Advisor Farooq Andrabi, District President Srinagar Noor Mohammad Sheikh, District President Pulwama Ghulam Ahmad Mir, District President Ganderbal Javaid Mir and other leaders of the party.

Reader correspondent