Srinagar, Aug 27: The Pattan Assembly Constituency, situated in Baramulla district of north Kashmir is poised for its next electoral contest on September 1, 2024.
As part of the Baramulla parliamentary constituency, Pattan has seen notable shifts in its political landscape over the years, with landslide victories by Imran Raza Ansari in 2014 and his late father Iftikhar Hussain Ansari in 2008.
This upcoming election is crucial as it will address long-standing issues in the constituency, including infrastructural deficiencies, inadequate healthcare, and pressing local needs.
With the election fast approaching, local leaders and residents are calling for comprehensive reforms to address these challenges and improve the quality of life in Pattan.
In the 2014 Vidhansabha elections, Imran Raza Ansari of the JKPDP party emerged victorious with 21,218 votes, defeating Aga Syed Mehmood Al Mosavi of the JKN party by a margin of 9,334 votes.
Similarly, in the 2008 Vidhansabha elections, Iftikhar Hussain Ansari, also from the JKPDP, won with 20,703 votes, outpacing Abdul Rashid Shaheen by 11,271 votes. The next election for the Pattan Assembly Constituency is slated for September 1, 2024.
In 2014, 14 candidates were in the fray including Aga Syed Mehmood Ali Mosavi (NC),Reyaz Ahmad (Congress)Ashiq Hussain Lone (Bahujan Samaj Party), Molvi Iftikhar Hussan Ansari (PDP),Basharat Hussain Najar (DPN),Wali Mohammad Wani (KMP).
Independents include Bashir Ahmad Ganai, Shabir Ahmad Wani, Shahnad Ahmad Yatoo, Tariq Ahmad Parry, Ashiq Ahmad Dar, Abdul Ahmad Yatoo, Ab. Rashid Shaheen and Farooq Ahmad Ganie.
SDM Pattan, Gulzar Ahmad told Rising Kashmir that there are approximately 100,000 eligible voters in the Pattan Constituency. The constituency comprises 42 villages, and 119 polling stations will be established. The highest number of votes is expected at Yadipora Palhallan (D), he said.
President Pattan Traders Association, Shah Nasir said that main problems of Pattan Constituency including roads, drinking water, healthcare, education, traffic jam menace in town, encroachment and still many areas are left without basic infrastructure.
“We lack adequate healthcare facilities at the Trauma Hospital in Pattan. The hospital was initiated in 2003, but it took the authorities 15 years to complete, he said.
“Although it was constructed to save lives in highway accidents, the facility was reclassified as a Sub-District Hospital and lacks any trauma services,” he said.
Shah said that absence of trauma care, particularly on the accident-prone Srinagar-Baramulla highway, puts the population at serious risk. The hospital also lacks facilities for major tests. We hope that whoever wins from this constituency will address these concerns,” he added.
“Majority of dispensaries and other health facilities in the Pattan constituency have not been upgraded for decades. Still in some areas, our mothers, daughters are waiting in ques for drinking water, etc. These issues should be addressed,” he said.
Nisar Ahmad, a teacher at Government Higher Secondary Pattan, stated that a spring called Baba Reshi Spring, located within the school premises, has been neglected for decades due to a lack of proper drainage.
“Whoever wins from the Pattan Assembly Constituency should address this long-standing issue. If properly maintained, the spring could provide a valuable water source,” he said.
Athar Mudasir, a resident of Yadipora Hyderbeigh Pattan, expressed concern that the village’s health center has been operating in a dilapidated building for the past 20 years.
“Each time our MLAs or other leaders promised to rebuild it, but nothing has been done so far. We hope the new MLA will prioritize the construction of this health center to finally address the issue,” he said.
Hassan Wani, a local from Dargam village, highlighted the challenges facing the traditional Pashmina shawl-making industry in northern Kashmir.
“Due to a lack of government support, many artisans have abandoned this craft, as they were earning only a quarter of what they deserved. The business is controlled by middlemen who buy these shawls at low prices,” he explained.
Wani added that they hope the new government will promote this craft in the region and create opportunities for local youth in shawl making.
Another local Shabir Hassan from Pattan town said that the traffic situation in Pattan town is unbearable, with severe jams clogging the roads every day.
“The ongoing construction of the new bypass has given us some hope, but it is essential that the project is completed without further delays. The current congestion is not only inconvenient but is also affecting the daily lives of everyone in the town,” he said.
