Soon after declaration of results the newly elected body pledged to work for the betterment of business community while the rival group is determined to be the constructive opposition, Tasavur Mushtaq reports
Valleys oldest and apex body representing trade, commerce and industries, Kashmir Chamber Of Commerce and Industries (KCCI) – got its new executive body of nineteen members today on November 21, 2011.
The results were declared in the Annual General Meeting by the out-going senior vice president in hotel Grand Mumtaz. The elections this year broke two records; the number of candidates was all time high, 40 and the number of votes cast, 600 which amounted to be nearly 80 percent.
Soon after the declaration of the results office bearers for the next term including its president were selected in the adjourned annual general meeting. Outgoing senior vice president Abdul Hamid Punjabi is the new president of the chamber. The other office bearers are; Nazir Ahmed Wani – Senior Vice President, Mushtaq Ahmed Wani – Junior Vice President, Bilal Ahmad Kawoosa – Secretary-General, Mauzam Bakshi – Joint Secretary General, Chaudhary Mohammad Shahid -Treasurer.
Elated over his win soon after assuming office the new president of chamber pledged to work for the betterment of the business community. He stressed on the need of following the roadmap lying with the chamber for achieving the excellence. “We will work for the betterment of society in general and business community in particular,” Punjabi told Kashmir Life.
When asked what were the reasons for the rival group emerging in the chamber Punjabi said, “I can’t say anything about it.”
The parallel faction who emerged as the threat to the previous regime in the chamber has not made any impact this time but they have not lost the hope. “We have lost the battle but the war is still on. We will come back in next elections,” said Dr Gazalla Amin.
Gazalla who was the only female candidate in the fray has made the history of being the first women to participate in the elections.
Gazalla who was the only female candidate in the fray has made the history of being the first women to participate in the elections. Reacting to the loss she said, “This was just a part but we will keep our struggle on to help our community which the previous regime had neglected.”
Wishing the new panel success she added, “hope they will deliver on the ground. Now they know there is strong opposition.”
The elections were held on November 14, 2011, in the office of the chamber. The process was supervised by a sub-committee set up by the KCCI. The members in the committee were Muhammad Ibrahim Shahdad, Nazir Ahmad Wani, and Muhammad Ayub. Besides officials from Jammu and Kashmir Bank Ltd and SIDCO were present as scrutinizers of the entire process.
The distinction of this year’s election was that there were parallel factions contesting, both having equal members in the fray. One group of the participants was headed by Abdul Hamid Punjabi and the other by the Nasir Hamid Khan.
The elections were earlier scheduled on 22 October 2011 but were delayed. The reason for the delay was that one of the members had gone to court and got the stay order. The order was later vacated.
