KHALID GUL
Kulgam, Feb 10: A day after  the killing of a Sarpanch in Howura Mishpora village of this south Kashmir district Thursday, five Panchs of the village, have to decided to tender their resignations before the District Panchayat Officer.
 Unidentified gunmen had shot dead a Sarpanch of the village associated with ruling National Conference Gulzar Ahmad Dar in Kulgam district on Thursday night when he was on way to home after offering Isha prayers. While his neighbor who was accompanying him also sustained bullet injuries.
 Sources said the Panchs have taken this decision as they fear for their life as well as the life of their families.
 “After the killing of Gulzar Ahmad, the Panchs are feeling insecure about themselves and their families. They have accused the government of failing to provide them the security,” sources said.
 They said that this has left them with no option but to tender resignation while at the same time issue a public apology that they will remain disassociated with any kind of political activity in the future.
 Panchs, according to the sources who have decided to resign are  Zahoor Ahmad Alaie,  Tariq Ahmad Aalie, Abdul Rehman Shah, Abdul Salam Lone and Parveena Akhtar all from the Hawoora Mishpora village.
  One of the Panchs, wishing not be named confirmed that they have decided to resign.
   “We have put our life at stake by fighting for the Panchayat elections and now nobody is concerned about our security. So we have decided to quit and live as a common man,” he said.
 Khurshid Ahmad Malik General Secretary, South Kashmir Sarpanchs and Panchs Association feigned ignorance about the issue, however he condemned the act .
 “ The killing of a Sarpanch is a dastardly act and we condemn it. We (Sarpanchs and Panchs) have become a soft target as we don’t enjoy a life like any other political figure. So we demand that some kind of protection must be provided to us,” Malik said in a statement.
 He said that they have written to the Panchayat Minister, Ali Muhammad Sagar requesting him to order an enquiry into the matter and make sure that the perpetrators are bought to justice or we are going to hold state wide protests.
 “I appeal everybody, no matter what their party association is, to deplore this act of cowardice and condemn it unequivocally,” he said.

Omar, Mehbooba condemn
 Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, NC president Dr Farooq Abdullah, the NC General Secretary Sheikh Nazir and  PDP President Mehbooba Mufti  have condemned Sarpanch’s  killing.
 Omar described the act as inhuman and condemnable. He conveyed his sympathies and expressed  solidarity with the bereaved family and prayed for the peace to the departed soul.
 Meanwhile, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti has expressed shock and grief over the killing and expressed sympathies with the bereaved family.

Lastupdate on : Fri, 10 Feb 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Fri, 10 Feb 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sat, 11 Feb 2012 00:00:00 IST