Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 29: A meeting of Pahari Cultural and Welfare Forum was held under the leadership of its Chief Patron and Member of Parliament Muzaffar Hussain Baig at his official residence, here today.
In his opening address, Baig recapitulated the performance of the Forum based on a multi pronged strategy since his taking over reins of the Forum as its head on May 29, last year in a representative meeting held at Shahdara, Rajouri. Baig said that despite months of a very fragile and turbulent law and order situation emanating in the State, various issues of utmost importance relating to the Pahari Community were vigorously pursued at various levels resulting in a breakthrough on key issues. He said that accomplishment of their long pending demands is certainly not beyond the realm of achievement but unity of the community is no less than a precondition to it.
Recounting inherent threats and dangers looming a fragmented lot, he cautioned the members of Pahari community to rise above less significant interests and affiliations to foster unity of purpose and synchronization of efforts in the interest of their existence as a significant stakeholder of the State and for betterment for their future generations.
He specifically stressed the need for educated and youth to be wide awake to rapidly escalating challenges knocking at their doors.
The Chief Patron also announced setting up of a Trust with multi facet objectives for betterment of the community and announced a four member committee to draft the articles and bye-laws of the Trust and take steps for its registration within one week. The Committee headed by former MLC and Advocate Murtaza Khan included former MLC Syed Rafiq Shah, MLA Ravinder Raina and Advocate Rajinder Singh Kaka as its members. Baig also hinted at reorganization of the Forum in the due course as entrusted to him.
The meeting adopted a unanimous resolution to express gratitude to the Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti for positively endorsing the Pirzada Committee Report for grant of ST status to the Pahari Community.
Those who participated in the meeting and spoke on the occasion included Jehangir Mir, Kuldeep Raj Gupta, Mirza Abdul Rasheed, Thakur Puran Singh, Shabbir Ahmed Khan, Murtaza Khan Advocate, Rasheed Qureshi Advocate, Syed Rafiq Shah, Raja Manzoor Khan, Javed Baig, Shah Mohammed Tantrey, Ravinder Raina, Javed Mirchal, Malik Mohammed Iqbal, Raja Ejaz Ali, Iqbal Kazmi, Gulzar Qureshi, Rajinder Singh Kaka Advocate, Shazad Khan and Naseem Khan.
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