Srinagar, Jan 13: Visibly upset over the recent attacks on Panchayat representatives in north Kashmir’s Sopore area, nearly 20 Panchayat representatives from Hard Shiva and Yemberzalwari areas on Sunday announced their resignations in the presence of the media here. They appealed militant outfits for general amnesty and stated that they would snap ties with the government.
 They appealed militant outfits for general amnesty. “Now we want to live a normal life. We appeal militant outfits for general amnesty,” they said.
 The Panchayat representatives alleged that that they were being exploited by the government. “We do not want to get killed. We are being exploited,” said Manzoor Ahmad Rather, a Sarpanch from Hard Shiva Sopore.
 “Fresh attacks on us in Sopore have created a sense of fear among us. The government is not taking any steps to protect us,” he added.
 General Secretary of JK Panchayat Forum, Khursheed Ahmad Malik said that Government is adopting double standards. He said that J&K is also misleading central government on the issue. “Last time JK Government had told Union Home Minister that 50 Panchayat representatives have got jobs and have not resigned on the basis of threat perception,” Malik said adding that Central Government has not been briefed about the threat being faced by us.
 Those who tendered their resignation are: Manzoor Ahmad Rather, Ghulam Muhammad Kanjwal, Imtiyaz Ahmad Shah, Peer Ghulam Mohidin, Ghulam Hassan Dangroo, Zareefa Bagum, Haleem Bagum Mushtaq Ahmad Dar, Ghulam Rasool Reshi, Jehangir Rasool and Rafiqa Bagum.
 Pertinently, unidentified gunmen on Friday shot dead a Sarpanch, Habibullah Mir at Goripora village in Sopore town, 52 kms from here, while a woman Panchayat member Zoona Begum was shot at and injured inside her house at Hardshiva Sopore last night.

Lastupdate on : Sun, 13 Jan 2013 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sun, 13 Jan 2013 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Mon, 14 Jan 2013 00:00:00 IST