LS Polls-2024 Phase-5 | Uri voters hope for development, peace

Baramulla, May 20: The Uri town in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district witnessed a high voter turnout on Monday, with residents lining up in long queues to cast their votes.

The voters expressed their hopes for peace and development in this border region, which has long been affected by cross-border shelling.

At the Government Girls Higher Secondary School in Uri, Mohsin Ahmad Bhat, a college student and first-time voter, stressed the importance of participating in the democratic process.

“I don't want to waste my vote,” he said. “I will vote for the candidate who can represent the aspirations of our border village.”

Mohsin highlighted the difficult past the people of Uri have faced due to cross-border tensions.

He believes the current peace along the Line of Control (LoC) should be leveraged for the area’s development.

“Uri has the potential to become a major hub of border tourism. I hope our representative will take measures to promote this area, once known for shelling, as a key destination for tourists,” he said.

Fayaz Ahmad Khawja, another voter from the main town of Uri, stressed the importance of choosing a candidate connected to the people and capable of improving the socio-economic status of the area. "Unlike other areas in the Baramulla parliamentary constituency, Uri has unique issues," said Fayaz.

He said that while government jobs can't be provided to everyone, promoting border and religious tourism could generate significant economic activity and address unemployment.

In Nambla village, located 20 km from Uri town and near the LoC, voters also showed up in large numbers at the Government Higher Secondary School.

Residents here are voting for the betterment and resolution of longstanding issues.

Manzoor Ahmad from Nambla highlighted the hardships caused by poor road connectivity. He said, “During winter, roads remain disconnected for months, causing severe hardships. We hope our new representative will prioritise these issues," he said.

Abdul Rashid, another voter, expressed optimism and said that the election could change the political dynamics in Jammu and Kashmir and ensure leaders stay connected with the people's ground-level issues.

“The politics of Uri may be different, but this time we have decided to elect a representative who can address both political and developmental aspirations,” Rashid said.