Apni Party appoints former separatist leader as vice president

The Apni Party has appointed former separatist leader Syed Muzaffar Rizvi as its vice president, a decision welcomed by prominent Shia leader Imran Reza Ansari who invited other former separatist leaders also to join the mainstream.

Rizvi was the general secretary of Itehad-ul-Muslimeen headed by former Hurriyat Conference chairman Abbass Ansari.

Apni Party president Altaf Bukhari approved the proposal for the appointment of Rizvi as Kashmir province vice president, along with Najeeb Naqvi, Zahid Hussain Jan and Umar Jan as provincial secretaries and Syed Mehmood Bukhari as vice president of Baramulla district.

Imran Reza Anasri, who is General Secretary of Peoples Conference headed by separatist turned former minister Sajjad Ghani Lone, welcomed the decision, saying, ''Our future unequivocally resides with India, and it will always remain within the embrace of India.'' He also invited other former separatist leaders to join the mainstream.

''I warmly embrace this decision (of Apni party) as today the General Secretary of a separatist organisation has joined a mainstream political party as a Vice Provincial President Kashmir,'' Ansari posted on X, formerly Twitter.

Referring to former minister Moulvi Iftikhar Hussain Ansari, the people's Conference leader said he vividly recalled the wisdom of his late father who consistently advocated that the destiny of Kashmiris is intertwined with India and within India.

''Regrettably, many of you did not heed his counsel and chose the path of separatism. Consequently, we the Shias of J&K have endured profound economic, political, and social hardships and the tragic loss of countless lives in senseless violence. Now, witnessing this display of maturity among you brings me great joy,'' he said.

Extending an invitation to the separatists, he said, ''I implore all the individuals who were once part of separatist organisations to step forward and integrate into the mainstream.

''The specific political party may be inconsequential, what truly matters is your transition into mainstream politics. Our future unequivocally resides with India, and it will always remain within the embrace of India,'' Ansari, who was also a former minister, said.