Early Times Report SRINAGAR, Feb 20: The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference President and Member of the Parliament from Srinagar Dr. Farooq Abdullah on Monday chaired an interaction with the party functionaries of district Srinagar at the party headquarters Nawa-e-Subha, Srinagar. General Secretary Ali Muhammad Sagar, Chief Spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq, Women's wing president Shameema Firdous, Central Zone President Ali Muhammad Dar, District President Srinagar Peer Afaq Ahmed, State Spokesperson Imran Nabi Dar, Provincial VPs Ahsan Pardesi, Syed Tauqeer Shah, Provincial Secretary Showkat Ahmed Mir, Provincial President YNC Salman Ali Sagar, Dr. Muhammad Shafi, Provincial Spokesperson Ifra Jan, Provincial Women's wing president Er. Sabiya Qadri, Syed Qaisar Jalali, Dr. Syed Maqdoomi, others were present on the occasion. Interacting with the functionaries, Dr. Farooq said, "NC is the byname of the aspirations of people of J&K. The party has been at the forefront of J&K politics for nearly a century now, playing a pivotal role in the socio-political emancipation of its people. We have a long and proud history of struggle and triumph. It was not until the leadership of Sheikh Sahib that the people of JK began to truly unite as one people in their fight for the restoration of their rights. His philosophy of secularism and equity was very successful in rallying our people behind the cause of our growth and development. The philosophy is very relevant today." "It is important to underscore one vital truth: Jammu and Kashmir cannot do without NC. What it stands for, and the space it occupies, are essential for the JK to survive and thrive. The party should not merely be seen as an instrument for fighting elections every few years. There is a great deal that it can and must do between elections. We have to return to the ethos of politics as social work for those who cannot help themselves. There is no other way to protect our identity and unique culture," he added. We also need to articulate a vision for the future that embraces the aspirations of J&K's youth who have been hit by the double whammy of unemployment, and fear, he added. "Youth of JK must believe we understand their aspirations," he said, asking the functionaries to reach out to people, particularly youth and educate them about the policies of the party. The workers, who had come from different areas of the Srinagar district gave a detailed account of the undergoing party activity in their areas |