Tasaduq Hussain
Kupwara, Dec 1: A Pakistan administered Kashmir (PaK) resident is among nearly a dozen contestants in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district contesting the ongoing District Development Council (DDC), elections from Drugmulla constituency.
Somaya Latif, a resident of Muzaffarabad, in Pakistan administered Kashmir (PaK), moved to this side of the LoCr after the government of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir led by Omar Abdullah initiated a rehabilitation policy for all the people who crossed over the border back in the 90s. She had married a Kashmiri youth in Muzaffarabad, who instead of picking arms, choose to live a normal life.
Somaya is contesting the ongoing District Development Council (DDC) election from the Drugmulla constituency that will witness a nail hitting contest between 11 candidates.
Talking to KNO Somaya said that she belongs to Muzaffarabad and is contesting the DDC election after the people encouraged her and they’ve moved from Pakistan to this side with a peaceful message for the masses.
She said the decision to contest isn’t self-centric rather several people approached and encouraged her to contest the election. “I’ve been working in a scheme under the government titled ‘SRLM’ during which the fieldwork has evoked a huge response and I am well aware of the sufferings of the common masses,” she said.
Hoping that the people will vote in her favor, she said that she is pretty sure that she will secure win the election and she has already won because the members of “our SRLM group are doing great job and this family has ensured the support of the general masses for her.
“Women who along with their husbands and children under the rehabilitation scheme 2010 have come here with peaceful massage and all of us are in regular contact and the figure is nearly 350 across the valley. Only 75 are residing in Kupwara who are maintaining a close contact with each other,” she said.
Somaya said that there have been no discussion about the decision to contest the DDC election with Pakistani brides living across the valley or Kupwara district adding that if they get to know “I’m sure they’ll be happy with the decision and hope that there is someone who can at least represent and talk for us.”
“My contribution would be to work for the Pakistani brides who have come from across the border and living here and also for the local people,” she said. “I’m very sure about the support from the general masses and women would never intend to disrupt the peace of a family and similarly to that the peace across the nation won’t be disrupted.”
Urging the people to vote in her favor, Somaya said that her election symbol is “Laptop”. “I urge the voters to vote in my favor and support assuring that all in her ambit will be fulfilled if she wins the DDC election,” she said.
Notably, the Drugmulla constituency comprises of several areas is going for polls on December 07 with 11candidates in the poll fray.
Meanwhile, District Election Officer (DEO), told KNO that only a single candidate Somaya Latif from across the border is in the poll fray across the district.
Pertinently, in the panchayat elections held last year, at least two Pakistani brides took part in the election that includes one from Langate and the another from Khumriyal.