‘Kashmiriyat’ depends on NC’s success: Dr. Farooq

Addresses party Women’s Wing in Srinagar
 Srinagar: National Conference president, Dr. Farooq Abdullah said that women have always played a vital and important role in the history of Kashmir ever since they were led towards social, economic and political empowerment by Madar-e-Meharbaan Begum Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah.  
According to a statement issued to KNS, while speaking at a well attended women workers’ meeting organized at NC Headquarters at Nawa-e-Subh Complex in Srinagar by the District Srinagar NC Women’s Wing, Dr. Farooq said that history is a witness to the fact that National Conference has always given utmost respect, dignity and a sense of equality to women and made education accessible to them in the State.
“It is because of the leadership of National Conference, its vision and policies that women of J&K are today playing a vital role in the transformation and development of our State. National Conference came into being to uphold the self-respect and dignity of the people of this State and has rendered numerous sacrifices for the sentiments and aspirations of the people.”
Dr. Farooq added that from the very day Sher-e-Kashmir Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah started our movement for the rights and empowerment of our people, numerous conspiracies were hatched against National Conference and its leadership to weaken the State and dilute its special status.
“There have been perennial as well as seasonal, covert and overt foes and detractors of the party who have left no stone unturned to weaken National Conference so that the representational character and voice of J&K could be fragmented and fractured. However their nefarious designs have always been defeated in the past and will always be thwarted by the people of this State who consider National Conference to be the custodian of their rights, sentiments and honor – a bond that has stood the test of time.”  
Dr. Farooq said that historic decisions and steps taken by Sher-e-Kashmir Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah and Madar-e-Meharbaan Begum Akbar Jahan for the upliftment and welfare of women continue to help us scale new heights even to this day. “National Conference has always played a pivotal role to open closed doors and empower the women of our State to break the glass-ceilings of suppression and gender inequality.”
Dr. Farooq said that National Conference prioritized the dream of women empowerment by incorporating transformational policies in the Naya Kashmir vision document of National Conference, a historic document that has been a coherent script for J&K’s well-being, safety and honor. It was decades ago that National Conference in ‘Naya Kashmir’ spoke in detail about the empowerment of our womenfolk.
He said that Kashmiriyat has been nurtured by the sacrifices and blood of National Conference and for Kashmiriyat to survive and flourish the flag of National Conference will have to stay hoisted in the State for all times to come. Dr. Farooq impressed on the Women’s Wing workers to mobilize their cadre with utmost dedication and zeal to ensure that the candidates put forth by the party in the Parliamentary elections emerge victorious with huge margins as has been proven at all junctures in the past.  
Those who spoke on the occasion included NC Provincial President Nasir Aslam Wani, MLA Batamaloo Irfan Shah and Provincial President NC Women’s Wing and MLA Haba Kadal Shameema Firdous. Provincial Secretary NC Women’s Wing Sabiya Qadri and District President Srinagar of NC Women’s Wing Khalida Ji were also present on the occasion.        
Meanwhile, Party President Dr. Farooq, Working President and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, General Secretary Sheikh Nazir Ahmed (Advocate), Additional General Secretary Dr. Sheikh Mustafa Kamal, NC Provincial President and MLA Amira Kadal Nasir Aslam Wani, NC District President and MLA Zadibal Peer Afaq, MLA Batamaloo Irfan Shah and NC Spokesman Junaid Mattu besides numerous party leaders, colleagues and workers have expressed grief and sorrow at the demise of NC Block President Amira Kadal, Khwaja Ghulam Ahmed Malik. NC Provincial President and MLA Amira Kadal Nasir Aslam Wani participated in the Nimaz-e-Jinaza of the deceased and prayed for peace to the eternal soul. Wani highlighted the sacrifices of Ghulam Ahmed Malik and said that his name would be written in golden letters in the glorious history of National Conference. (KNS)