"Keeping the historic Jama Masjid closed for months is like playing with emotions of locals : Qayoom Wani
Srinagar July 17 (KNS): A high-level meeting of the Jammu and Kashmir Civil Society Forum was held in Srinagar, in which the Concern was expressed over social evils, drug addiction and suicides. According to the statement of the spokesperson of the forum, High Farooq Ahmad Lone, a day long meeting of the executive committee of the forum was held on July 16 at the central office under the chairmanship of Abdul Qayoom Wani.
According to a statement issued to Kashmir News Service (KNS), All central, provincial and district officials participated in this meeting. Patron General Fayaz Ahmed Andrabi appreciated the performance of the forum in the current chaotic situation and threw light on the manifesto and objectives of the civil society forum. He exhorted all the officials to continue their efforts to combat the scourge of evils and drugs in the society and strengthen the organization at the grass root level. Nusrat Ahmad Baig was made the General Secretary and Ghulam Hasan Malik, Muzaffar Ahmad Baig and Prof. Muhammad Akbar Lone were made District Presidents for Kupwara, Srinagar and Baramulla respectively. Apart from this, Pirzada Shabbir Ahmed and Abdul Qayoom Shah were elected District Secretaries Kupwara and Srinagar respectively. Besides, among the officials who expressed their views in the meeting, newly elected General Secretary Nusrat Ahmad Baig, Chief Spokesman, Haji Farooq Ahmad Lone, Vice Chairman Mukhtar Ahmad Tantrey, Senior Leader Iqbal Sher, Senior Leader Farooq Ahmad Pulwama, Chief coordinator Ghulam Ahmad Shah, Vice President Muhammad Akbar Mir, Coordinator Abdul Ghani Mir and Pir Hameed are worth mentioning.
The Forum discussed important public issues in the meeting. It was strongly impressed upon the government that all members of the civil society are protesting against the continuous closure of the historic Jama Masjid. Speaking in the meeting, Chairman Abdul Qayoom Wani said that keeping this historical mosque of Jammu and Kashmir closed is like playing with the sentiments of Muslims of Kashmir.
In the meeting, all the leaders unanimously reiterated the demand that the political leaders and youths, including women prisoners, imprisoned in the JK and outside prisons should be released. The Forum said their families informed the Forum about the difficulties they faced and hoped that it would reach with their voices to the respective quarters. The Civil Society Forum has issued an appeal to govt to release these prisoners on humanitarian grounds so that they can reunite with their families.
The speakers in the meeting appealed to religious scholars, imams of mosques, heads of schools, and NGOs to play their important role in curbing immorality, drugs and immorality in the society.
In the chair, Wani alerted the civil society officials that they have a great responsibility to perform the work of the fron runners and coordinate with the religious scholars and other stakeholders who have influence in the society so that drug menace, immorality corruption is controlled. The civil society has asked the people to give their valuable suggestions as to what more should be done to eliminate social evils and immorality from the society.The other prominent leaders who attended the meeting and gave their valuable suggestions were Mohd shafi kambay , Farooq Ahmad rather, Ali Mohd wani ,Gulshan Ahmad lone,Mohd Ashraf Tali, Hilal Ahmad paray , Tariq Ahmad paray,Asif Bhat, Nisar Ahmad Bhat, Syed Bashir Ahmad, and others. (KNS)