Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Oct 20: The president of the Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC), Prof Saif-ud-Din Soz, today said that Congress is becoming a vibrant force in the State and claimed that it would emerge as the single largest party in forthcoming Assembly elections.
While speaking at a function at Congress headquarters here to welcome new entrants into the party, Prof Soz said that large number of people are interested in joining the party. “Around 1000 new people were ready to join today but another function will be held soon to formally welcome them in the party”, he said.
Soz said that 20 crore Muslims, Dalits and others are looking at the Congress in the country. He said that the people of the country will reject the communal forces and teach the BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate, Narendra Modi a lesson.
He asserted that he had proved his point that Congress Party had become a vibrant in all the three regions of the State.
He hoped that newly entrants would further make the party robust and vibrant and would serve the people of the State selflessly.
Those who joined the party included former Minister in NC Government, Ghulam Hassan Geelani, former bureaucrat Farooq Ahmed Renzu, Wali Mohammad Dar, Shiekh Gulzar, former Executive President Jammu and Kashmir Bank Tafazul Hussain, Bashir Ahmad Shah, Gulam Hassan Rather, Abdul Rashid Malla, Mushtaq Ahmad Bazaz, and Waseem Shalla.
Those who addressed the gather included Mohammad Muzaffar Parray, MLC, Gulam Nabi Monga, MLC Bashir Magrey MLC and Vice president Abdul Gani Khan.
Later, while interacting with reporters, Prof Soz said that India and Pakistan can have prosperous relations by way of dialogue, but Islamabad cannot use pressure tactics to make New Delhi accept anything.
Soz said if Pakistan treads the path of animosity with India, it will adversely affect its development.
The JKPCC leader said the civil society of the neighbouring country has understood that they have to live with India in a friendly manner.
“There are many layers of power in Pakistan. There is Army, there are those who are on the path of violence and then there is (Prime Minister) Nawaz Sharif as well. Now, Sharif has to prove if the real power in his hands is strong or not…That is his problem, but the civil society in Pakistan has understood that they have to live with India in a friendly manner,” he said.
Soz said Pakistan did not get any benefit by supporting militancy and it should find out who is behind the continued ceasefire violations and infiltration along the Line of Control.
The JKPCC president said India is giving a strong response to Pakistan.
“Pakistan is getting a strong response. Many of the people (infiltrators) have died and stopped from crossing over. If some did cross, they are being tackled,” he said.
Asked if the rise in incidents of ceasefire violations and infiltration was to distract the country as elections are approaching, he said India is a big democracy which cannot be distracted.
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