Srinagar, Feb 27:  Traders on Sunday rued policies adopted by successive governments in Kashmir over decades.
 The traders, who assembled at an oath taking ceremony of the newly elected representatives of Kashmir Traders and Manufacturers Federation (KTMF) here, lamented government for being indifferent towards them.
 Urging the government to safeguard the interest of trading community which has suffered losses over the decades, the newly elected president of KTMF, Muhammad Yasin Khan said notwithstanding that the traders were the instrumental in adding revenue to the government, the successive regimes have ignored the interest of the traders.
 “I urge government to stop the  discriminatory attitude towards traders,” he said.
 Former president KTMF Sadiq Baqal said that the trade body has been representing the voices of traders from 1944. “The government should take traders into confidence in any decision affecting them. After any demolition drive, the government should make all efforts to rehabilitate us. The bankers and other agencies should also safeguard the interests of community,” he said
 Minister of state for tourism, Muhammad Aslam Wani said that traders are the worst sufferers. “We need to separate politics from the trade if we want prosperity and progress,” he said, adding that Omar Abdullah-led government is committed to protect the interests of traders.
 Nasir said that state government has made it clear that political settlement of Kashmir was must. “We have told leadership of the country that Kashmir needs political settlement, but frequent strikes are causing losses worth crores of rupees to us,” he said.
 On occasion, Muhammad Yasin Khan, Bashir Ahmed Dar and Manzoor Ahmed respectively took oath as President, general secretary and senior vice-president of the KTMF. They were elected unopposed in the recently held elections of the body.
 Among others, divisional commissioner Kashmir Dr Asghar Samoon, deputy commissioner Srinagar Mehraj Ahmed Kakroo and vice-chairman Srinagar Development Authority Kifayat Rizvi were also present on the occasion.

Lastupdate on : Sun, 27 Feb 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sun, 27 Feb 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Mon, 28 Feb 2011 00:00:00 IST