As Jammu and Kashmir marks the formation of its first government in the region following the abrogation of Article 370, North Kashmir Leader Javid Ahmad Dar has been sworn in as a cabinet minister, alongside four other ministers.
The oath-taking ceremony took place at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) in Srinagar, attended by prominent leaders from the Indian bloc.
During the swearing-in ceremony, Omar Abdullah was joined by Surinder Chowdhary, who was sworn in as the Deputy Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir. The newly formed cabinet also includes Sakina Itoo, Satish Sharma, Javaid Dar, and Javaid Rana.
Who Is Javid Dar?
Javid Ahmad Dar, a resident of Ladoora, began his political career in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) under the late Mufti Mohammad Sayeed in 2002.
After spending six years in the PDP, Javid left the party and formally joined the National Conference in the presence of Farooq Abdullah in 2008, during a time when assembly elections were at their peak. Surprisingly, in the 2008 assembly elections, he secured the mandate and surpassed his former party leader, Dilawar Mir, by a significant margin, marking a new chapter in the political landscape of Rafiabad.
He subsequently received a cabinet position as Minister of Roads and Buildings, Horticulture, and Health and Education. His performance was well-received, and he later took on full-time responsibilities in the Roads and Buildings department.
In 2014, amid a strong PDP wave, he lost the Rafiabad seat to Yawar Dilawar Mir, who was then in the PDP. Notably, Yawar Mir, the son of prominent leader Dilawar Mir, contested his first election and made his mark in politics after his father was sentenced to three years in prison for a corruption case related to the wrongful release of 30 lakh rupees and a contract for the sale of urea to his firm by National Fertilizers Limited from 1993 to 1996.
However, in the recent assembly elections held in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir after a long hiatus of 10 years, Javid Dar made a remarkable comeback, winning by a substantial margin from the Rafiabad constituency. He secured victory by 9,202 votes, defeating the Apni Party candidate, Yawar Mir.
Now the people from the northern region of Kashmir find themselves filled with hope and high aspirations for Javid Dar after his appointment as cabinet minister. They dream of development for North Kashmir, seeking progress, prosperity, and peace.
Can these promises be fulfilled? Will the newly elected cabinet minister meet the people’s expectations? Can he empathize with the struggles and challenges faced by the community? Only time will tell.
