Panchayat body rules out resign en-masse Srinagar, May 20: (GNS) Blaming mainstream political parties for killing of its members, a body of Panchayat members said they won’t resign and would continue their work. Addressing a press conference, the members of All Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Conference (AJKPC) said that after deliberations with its members across the valley, the body has decided not to resign. “After deliberations with members from every Block, it was decided not resign because people have given us mandate for solving their day to day issues and for development,” the spokesman of AJKPC Ghulam Hassan Panzoo said, adding: “people have not given us mandate to resolve the Kashmir issue.” Flanked by Congress leader and chairman of Kashmir Society, Farooq Ahmad Renzu, who was ‘special invitee’, the Panchayat members condemned the killing of its members at the hands of unidentified gunmen. “At the same time we condemn government attitude which neither investigated these killings nor gave us any protection,” they said. The Panchayat members, once again, blamed mainstream political parties including the ruling party for the killing of its members. “Had it been militants, they would have owned these killings,” Panzoo said, adding it is mainstream parties which target us.”They kill us because they don’t want our empowerment.” The Panchayat members also announced that it will not attend any police and army functions. “We declare that will not attend police, army functions collectively. We’re a non-political forum.” Distancing itself from Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Association, the AJKPC said it has nothing do with the former. The Panchayat Association members had started a series of meetings with pro-freedom leadership to seek their suggestions. In this regard, they met top pro-freedom leaders including Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik. Barring Malik, these leaders advised them to resign en-masse. On the occasion, the AJKPC associated itself with ‘Kashmir Society’ headed by Renzu. Those who addressed press conference include its chairman Shafiq Mir, General Secretary Imtiyaz and several others.
Posted on: Tue, 20 May 2014 15:51:06 +0000