Baramulla Traders Federation urges reinstatement of J&K Bank Cluster Head; raises questions on services

Baramulla: A growing chorus of voices from Baramulla and Sopore is calling for the revocation of the suspension order issued against Sheikh Muzaffar, a senior official of Jammu & Kashmir Bank, following what many are calling a “malicious” and “unwarranted” action that has sparked controversy across North Kashmir’s business circles.

Leading the appeal, the Traders Federation Baramulla, which says it is backed by the President of the Fruit Mandi Sopore, the Traders Federation Sopore, and several civil society and welfare organizations, has publicly expressed dismay over the bank’s move, urging its higher management to reinstate Sheikh Muzaffar with immediate effect.

In a strongly worded statement issued by Mohammed Ayoub Shah, Spokesperson of the Traders Federation Baramulla, the federation highlighted that internal clashes among officials in any institution are not unusual. However, the public manner in which the suspension was handled has raised serious questions.

“What has shocked the business community is not just the suspension, but the way the issue was deliberately publicized to malign the image of a dedicated and respected banking professional,” Shah said.

Sheikh Muzaffar, who has been serving as Cluster Head in the region, is widely known among local traders and pensioners for his professional integrity and customer-oriented approach, trading community of Baramulla-Sopore areas maintain. According to the federation, Muzaffar played a pivotal role in addressing persistent grievances related to the TP Branch of J&K Bank in Baramulla, which had been under fire for alleged unprofessional behavior and poor customer service.

“Our trade community, with accounts in the TP branch, has long suffered due to the non-cooperative attitude of its staff. Some traders have even shifted their accounts to other banks just to ensure smooth business operations,” the statement said.

Even senior citizens and pensioners, the federation said, have not been spared. The Pensioners Association of Baramulla reportedly approached the federation after repeated instances of neglect and humiliation at the TP branch, where pensioners were made to wait for hours outside in harsh conditions.

The federation claims that it was only after these issues were brought to Sheikh Muzaffar’s attention that meaningful intervention was initiated.

“In a system where genuine redressal is rare, Sheikh Muzaffar stood out for being responsive, respectful, and service-driven. His suspension is unjust and must be revoked,” Shah emphasized.