SRINAGAR, Sept. 2 -- Apni Party president and former finance minister Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari on Tuesday appealed to political parties, civil society groups, business bodies and other stakeholders in Jammu and Kashmir to unite over what he described as concerns regarding the future direction of J&K Bank.

In a public appeal, Bukhari alleged that the bank was gradually moving away from the interests of the people of Jammu and Kashmir and called for a collective response to developments that he said could affect the institution's character and functioning.

He raised concerns over what he described as a reduction in the bank's credit growth within Jammu and Kashmir while expanding lending outside the Union Territory. He also expressed a...