America has a strong two party system, where both national and local elections are often fought on party tickets, but independent voice of the people is also respected. A fresh example has been set by a team of 14 candidates headed by a young Mayor named Christopher Beauchamp of the City of Woonsocket, Rhode Island state. 7 out of 14 candidates have won the election.
One of the winner is a young man Shahbaz Raja from Khuiratta, Azad Jammu Kashmir. Although both the Mayor and Shahbaz Raja belong to the Democrats, they were probably not happy with some party policies and chose to run independently. They have won with a quite good margin. All the credit goes to the City Mayor, who fielded independent candidates despite being a part of the government.
The city has a population of about 50 000 and it is headed by a Mayor. Families and friends from back home in Khuiratta, AJK have congratulated Shahbaz Raja and his team for a remarkable victory and wished them good luck in their efforts to represent their city and its people.
Quayyum Raja's full official name is Abdul Quayyum Raja, but the British press shortened his name when he was arrested in connection with an Indian diplomat kidnapped by his fellow KASHMIRIS in Birmingham in 1984 to save the life of a Kashmiri Hero Muhammad Maqbool Butt hanged by India and buried inside Tihar jail on 11 February 1984. Quayyum Raja is from Azad Jammu Kashmir administered by Pakistan. He acquired various qualifications from EU and UK, including a Master in Psychology & Social Sciences, Journalism and Modern World History. He supports both Pan Islam and Pluralism, which may sound a contradiction, but he claims he can draw a balance. Quayyum Raja spent about 22 years in British jail extra-juducially as a Kashmiri political prisoner. He was released by the European Court of Human Rights on 17 May 2005. He has travelled extensively both before his captivity and after his release.
