Hajin (Sonawari), May 28: Traders in this north Kashmir town took out a rally after they elected the federation president who they said would represent them in trade, development and civic issues.
 The presidential candidate Muhammad Muzaffar Parray won by a margin of 18 votes getting 164 votes.  Giving a stiff competition to Muzaffar, the second candidate Ghulam Muhammad got 146 votes. 
 Jubilant traders, after hearing the announcement, assembled out of the Government Girls High School – where the voting took place – and marked the celebration.
 “This is a day of celebration and we are expecting that our issues would be sort out. Since our town had been always a victim of indifference, we the traders will make a little difference by our own,” said another trader Nissar Ahmad.
 “We have now witnessed these thirty years and nothing has changed. We elected this president only to solve our problems and stand by our views. We expect him to represent us wherever the need arises,” said a trader (who cast his vote to the opposite candidate).
 “It does not matter who wins or who loses it is about representing those who had been always marginalized at ground level,” he said.
 The president-elect Muhammad Muzaffar said that winning the election would give him the chance to serve his colleagues. “It is not like I have been elected as a president and I will shy away from the responsibilities for which I am being elected. There is a lot to be done – this may seem just promising – and market has to progress at every end,” he said.
 Concluding peacefully, renowned academicians and traders of the town regulated the election proceedings. 

Lastupdate on : Mon, 28 May 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Mon, 28 May 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Tue, 29 May 2012 00:00:00 IST