A woman from Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK), who was married to a former terrorist, is in the fray for the ongoing District Development Council (DDC) elections in Jammu and Kashmir. A resident of Muzaffarabad, Somiya Sadaf is contesting the election from Dragmulla Kupwara district of North Kashmir.
Her husband had gone to the other side of the LoC for arms training and returned through a rehabilitation policy of Jammu and Kashmir. The policy allows all persons who crossed over the border back in the 90s and shun the path of violence. Her husband too opted to live a normal life and returned to Kashmir.
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Drugmulla, from where Somaya is contesting the DDC election, will witness a nail biting contest as a total of 11 candidates are in fray.
In a conversation with India TV, Somaya said people of Kashmir treated her like her own daughter and that compelled her to take part in DDC polls. "My first priority is to serve the people of the Valley, especially my constituency. I am contesting elections for the welfare of people and not any personal benefit," she said.
"It is difficult for the government to provide jobs to everyone. If I win, I would persuade and motivate people to become self-employed. Everyone has the ability to be an entrepreneur and here we can focus on this subject and people, particularly women can start their own ventures,” Sadaf said.
Sadaf is not the first woman from PoK who has jumped into the fray. In 2018, Arifa, who was also married to a former militant, had won panchayat post in North Kashmir’s Kupwara district. The 35-year-old was sarpanch of Khumriyal under Lolab Valley, adjacent to the LoC. Her husband went to PoK in the year 2001 to join a terror group.
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