PDP revamped with new office bearers, PAC
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 26: People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president and former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today said political process was a must in Jammu and Kashmir as every problem can’t be solved by the stick even as she maintained that unemployment wasn’t the reason behind Kashmir militancy.
In an interview to a national news channel tonight, Mehbooba said since a political Governor has been appointed in the State, it is hoped that political process would be initiated in the State.
To a question that stone pelting has stopped after appointment of political Governor in Jammu and Kashmir, Mehbooba said: “It (the stone pelting) was not being shown by the television channels but it was good if it has stopped”.
Few days back, the Centre had appointed former BJP leader and Bihar Governor, Satya Pal Malik as Governor of Jammu and Kashmir replacing NN Vohra.
To a question on Congress president Rahul Gandhi’s statement that unemployment was also responsible for recruitment in ISIS outfit, Mehbooba said unemployment was not behind Kashmir militancy.
On whether, the PDP would be part of `Mahagathbandhan’ proposed by some Opposition parties across the country, Mehbooba said the PDP hasn’t taken any decision so far.
She said Article 370 and 35-A were bridge between Jammu and Kashmir and rest of India and her party would defend them with full might.
Meanwhile, Mehbooba today revamped organizational structure of the party by nominating new office bearers and re-constituting the Political Affairs Committee (PAC).
Former Minister and four-time MLA Abdul Rehman Veeri has been nominated as vice president of the PDP, a post previously held by Mehbooba’s maternal uncle Sartaj Madni, who had resigned in the wake of revolt in the PDP by six legislators, who had targeted family culture in the party.
Mehbooba has nominated Ghulam Nabi Lone Hanjura, Abdul Haq Khan, both former Ministers, Mehboob Iqbal, Surinder Choudhary and FC Bhagat as general secretaries, a PDP release said.
It added that Zahoor Ahmad Mir, Asiea Naqash, Mohammad Yousuf Bhat, Raja Aijaz Ali, Bashir Ahmad Rounyal, Maroof Khan, Noor Mohammad Bhat, Amrik Singh Reen, Dr. Abdul Majeed, Dr. Samiullah, Shah Mohammad Tantray, Deepak Handa and Abdul Rashid Malik have been nominated as State Secretaries of the party.
The PDP president has nominated Syed Altaf Bukhari, former Finance Minister, as the Treasurer of the party while Rafi Ahmad Mir would continue as chief spokesman.
Mehbooba has also reconstituted the Political Affairs Committee (PAC) of the party.
The members of the newly constituted PAC are Muzaffar Hussain Baig, A R Veeri, Mohammad Dillawar Mir, Mehboob Baig, Syed Basharat Bukhari, Nizamudin Bhat, Yashpal Sharma, Ch Zulfkar, Syed Asgar Ali, Falail Singh, Ashraf Mir, Haji Anayat Ali, Rafiq Hussain Khan and Qazi Afzal.
Mehbooba would herself head the PAC.
The office bearers of the party would be special invitees of the PAC as and when required, the release said.
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