KL Report
SRINAGAR
Noted economist and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader, Dr Haseeb Drabu Thursday filed his nomination papers from Rajpora assembly constituency in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district.
Dr Drabu is contesting his maiden election after joining PDP earlier this year. Senior PDP leader and Member of Parliament, Muzzafar Hussain Baig; former Advocate General and Senior Advocate, Altaf Hussain Naik, PDP Youth Wing President, Waheed-ur-Rehman Parra, PDP district president Pulwama, Bari Indrabi and other party functionaries and prominent citizens of district Pulwama accompanied Dr Drabu who arrived at the office of the Returning Officer with his supporters.
Starting his career with the Planning Commission of India, Drabu has worked with Finance Commission. He has also been a part of the Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council. Drabu was also a member of Prime Minister’s Committee on long term development of J&K. He also served as a member of the minorities Committee set up to look at the Sachar Committee report. Drabu continued as Chairman of J&K Bank till June 2010.
After his stint with economic policy making at the national level, Drabu moved into journalism and was the National Editor of Business Standard, a premier financial daily.
Dr Drabu’s first policy stint with the government of J&K was as member of the Godbole committee appointed by Dr Farooq Abdullah in 1997.
He was Economic Advisor to the PDP-Congress coalition headed by Mufti Muhammad Sayeed. Dr Drabu has been also working as an advisor to leading corporate houses in Mumbai. He is on the Board of Directors of many companies and also chairs some of these companies.
Senior PDP leader Muzaffar Hussain Beigh while addressing a public meeting organized in connection with the filing of nominations by Dr Drabu, said the PDP is not fighting the forthcoming assembly just to address the day to day governance related issues of the people but to play a bigger role in shaping the new future of Jammu and Kashmir where everyone will live peacefully with dignity and honor. “The people of Kashmir have suffered immensely over the decades now it is the time to change the course of history under the banner of the PDP,” he said. Baig said be it economic, developmental or political issues facing the state, PDP’s focus will be to create an atmosphere where the people particularly the youth will feel secure, empowered in every sense of the word.
Beigh said nobody can fiddle with Article-370 and if anybody wants to know the essence of this special provision of the constitution, he can educate them on the same.
He alleged the ruling government has proved disastrous for the people of the state as last during the six years the alienation of people has increased with every passing day and credibility of the government has reached its lowest ebb. He said the National Conference and Congress government has been exposed due to its own misdeeds, misgovernance and maladministration and there is now huge yearning for an honest, accountable and transparent governance system in the state.
Beigh said the presence of professionals like Dr Drabu in PDP is proving to be a value addition for the party and it is a moment of pride especially for the people of Pulwama. He urged voters of Rajpora to support Dr Drabu to begin a new era of development and prosperity in the area under his leadership.
