PDP seeks probe into police firing on protestors in Kashmir

Srinagar, Dec 16 (UNI) The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), a key ruling coalition partner in Jammu and Kashmir, today demanded a thorough probe into the circumstances that led to the death of a protestor in police firing at Magam yesterday.

In a statement here, a PDP spokesman expressed shock and anguish over the death of the youth. He said the demand for setting up of a degree college at Magam in central Kashmir district of Badgam was not only overdue but justified as well.

Expressing solidarity with the residents of the area, he assured them, on behalf of PDP Patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, that their demand would be fulfilled at the earliest.

The spokesman said the police should have desisted from resorting to unwarranted use of force to quell the protesters, resulting in the loss of a precious life.

The circumstances that led to the death of Zahoor Ahmad in the police firing must be thoroughly looked into and responsibility fixed for such uncalled-for action, he added.

The spokesman said the party would strongly press for setting up of a degree college at Magam on priority basis. On the instructions of Mr Sayeed, the matter has already been taken up with the state government, he added.

Urging the people to maintain calm and not allow anybody to politicise the issue, the spokesman said justice would be done with the area so that the residents do not feel let down. He said the state government was committed to setting up a degree college at Magam and this promise would be fulfilled at any cost.

Meanwhile, the spokesman also credited the PDP with not only setting fresh standards in politics, but governance as well. ''The way the PDP is delivering on political, economic and administrative commitments is exceptional, given the age-old exploitative tactics used by previous regimes,'' he added.

The spokesman said the PDP leadership's outstanding performance on every front has not only brought the much-needed relief and succour to the people, but also made them conscious of their rights.

''No political party of group can now take the people for a ride through hollow and emotive slogans,'' he said, adding the young generation has huge expectations with the PDP as they see a ray of hope emerging on the dark horizon.

By adopting a multi-pronged strategy of empowering the people politically, economically, educationally and socially, the spokesman said the PDP has laid a roadmap for a politically stable and economically vibrant Jammu and Kashmir with a confident and productive human resource base.

He said with the opening of three new universities, adding five campuses to the existing Kashmir and Jammu Universities, opening of 40 new degree colleges and upgrading hundreds of high and middle schools in as many years, the state's youth were poised to catch-up with such facilities in rest of the world.

The spokesman expressed dismay over hurdles being created in the setting up of the Dhirubhai Ambani Institute of Information and Communication Technology (DAIICT) in Srinagar, saying it was an irony that such a prestigious IT institute has become a target of petty political games.

''I hope good sense will prevail upon the authorities and they would facilitate setting up of the institute in the larger interest of the state. Jammu and Kashmir and its youth will be put to immense loss if Reliance Industries are forced to shift the institute out of the state,'' he added.

UNI