Srinagar, Jan 15: Journalist Muhammad Saleem Pandit Saturday took over as the interim President of Kashmir Press Cluv while as journalist Zulfikar Majid and Arshid Rasool will be General Secretary and the treasurer respectively, a statement issued by the KPC said.

“It is an open fact that the Kashmir Press Club at Poloview Srinagar founded in 2018 with immense efforts of the Kashmir based journalists who had unanimously handed over the responsibilities of the Club to veteran journalist M Saleem Pandit, who works with The Times of India (Tol) as the founding President,” reads the KPC statement.

“With the passage of time, however, the Kashmir based journalists held elections of its executive body on

15th July 2019. The elected body served its tenure for a period of two years, which ended on July 14, 2021, As the previous committee delayed the elections for unknown reasons the Club was headless,

Thereafter for around six months, putting media fraternity to unwanted trouble.”

The statement further said that now therefore on January 15, 2022 various journalist organizations across Kashmir valley unanimously decided to form an interim body of three members with M Saleem Pandit as president, Zulfikar Majid,

Bureau chief of Deccan Herald as General Secretary and Arshid Rasool Editor Daily Gadyal as Treasurer of the Club till elections are held in free and fair manner.

“The interim body besides running the day-to-day affairs of the Club, will also be authorized to form a

Required executive body which will help the KPC to flourish and grow into a modern press club much in need with the growing requirements.

“The new body has pledged to ensure the welfare of journalists as its top priority,” the statement said.