Kashmir.Watch

Author: hamid

  • JKLF Leaders Arrested On Way To Kunan-Poshpora

    Srinagar: Senior JKLF leader and zonal president Noor Mohammad kalwal was today arrested along with zonal vice president Mohammad Siddeq shah, zonal general secretary sheikh Abdul Rashid and other’s when they were on their way to Kunan- Poshpora to attend a protest rally scheduled to be held on the completion of 23 years of Kunan-Poshpora mass rape by Indian army. The arrested leaders while moving towards Kunan-Poshpora were stopped by police near Parimpora and arrested. However another delegation of JKLF led by senior leader master Sheikh Mohammad Afzal reached Kunan-Poshpora and led the protest rally. Master Sahib was accompanied by zonal vice secretary farooq ahmad dar, district president Rafiq Ahmad War, secretary Abdul Majeed Shah, Mohammad Azeem Zargar, Ghulam Nabi Mir, Mushtaq Ahmad Lone and Bashir Ahmad Wani etc. the protest rally was addressed by master Afzal and Ghulam Mohammad Dar (president of the committee seeking justice for Kunan-Poshpora victims). Addressing the protest rally JKLF senior leader Sheikh Mohammad Afzal condemned the arrest of JKLF leaders. He said that on this very day on 23rd February 1991 Indian army after besieging the Kunan-Poshpora village attacked the chastity of women and more than 100 women fell to these savages. He said that 23 years have passed but till date no one has been arrested or even charge sheeted. This speaks volumes about the criminal mentality of Indian state and its Kashmiri puppets. He said that Indian army and forces have been using rape as a weapon of war against Kashmiris and this cannot be done without the orders of political leadership. He said that actually this is state sponsored terrorism unleashed against the people of Kashmir but these tyrants have to understand that they will have to reply for their criminal attitude and acts against the people of Jammu Kashmir. He said that these criminal acts of state terrorism cannot deter us from the path of resistance and the day is not far when Jammu Kashmir will emerge as an independent nation.

    Meanwhile another delegation of JKLF led by district president Pulwama Javed Ahmad Bhat along with Tariq Ahmad and Dawood Ahmad today visited Prichoo Pulwama and attended the Fateh khwani of martyr Tawseef Ahmad. On the occasion Javed Ahmad Bhat while addressing the gathering paid rich tributes the martyr. After the Fateh khawani police and forces indiscriminately fired upon the attendants of this condolence meeting with pellet guns and teargas shells injuring dozens of men and women. JKLF condemns this police action and terms it as criminal and act of state terrorism.

  • Govt. notifies 45 Villages as Backward: Sakina

    Jammu: Minister for Social Welfare, Ms. Sakina Itoo today informed the House that the Government has recently notified 45 villages as backward areas on the recommendations of Jammu and Kashmir Backward Classes Commission. Replying to a question by Mr. Javaid Mustafa Mir, the Minister said that no such recommendations in respect of villages of Chadoora Constituency have been received from the Commission yet, as various criteria/parameters are adopted by the Commission for declaring any area as backward. The Minister added that as and when any recommendation from the Commission is received appropriate action will be taken. The Minister said that the exercise to de-notify the villages after the specified period of 10 years as envisaged under the Act shall be undertaken in consultation with the Commission at an appropriate time depending upon the improvement of indicators in already notified backward areas.

  • Taliban kills 20 Afghan soldiers, kidnaps seven: Official

    ASADABAD: The Taliban stormed an Afghan army outpost in the eastern Kunar province bordering Pakistan early Sunday, killing 20 soldiers and kidnapping seven, an official said.

    The volatile border area is dominated by militants who often use improvised explosive devices to target soldiers, but Sunday’s attack saw the highest casualty count in a single incident in recent months.

    The attack occurred in the Ghaziabad district of Kunar province, provincial governor Shuja-Ul Mulk Jalala told AFP. The Taliban later issued a statement claiming responsibility.

    The governor said “some” of the soldiers in the post were thought to have aided the attackers, though this could not be verified by an independent source and the Taliban did not mention insider help in their statement.

    A hunt was underway to release the kidnapped troopers, a defence ministry official in Kabul said.

    Casualties among Afghan soldiers and police have increased in recent years as they take more responsibility in the fight against insurgents before their Western allies, the US and Nato troops, leave under a US plan by the end of the year.

  • After 23 years Kunan-Poshpora Still Waits for Justice

    Justice Delayed is Justice Denied 

    The Kunan Poshspora incident occurred on February 23, 1991, when units of the Indian army launched a search and interrogation operation in the village of Kunan Poshpora, located in Kashmir’s remote Kupwara District. At least 53 women were allegedly gang raped by soldiers that night. However, Human Rights organizations including Human Rights Watch have reported that the number of raped women could be as high as 100.
    Although the Indian government′s investigations into the incident rejected the allegations as “baseless, international human rights organizations have expressed serious doubts about the integrity of these investigations and the manner in which they were conducted, stating that the Indian government launched a “campaign to acquit the army of charges of human rights violations and discredit those who brought the charges.

    Following the district magistrate’s report, increased publicity about the incident led to strong denials from Indian military officials. On March 17, Mufti Baha-ud-Din Farooqi, Chief Justice of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir, led a fact-finding mission to Kunan Poshpora. Over the course of his investigation, he interviewed fifty-three women who claimed to have been raped by the soldiers, and tried to determine why a police investigation into the incident had never taken place. According to his report, villagers claimed that a police investigation into the event had never commenced because the officer assigned to the case, Assistant Superintendent Dilbaugh Singh, was on leave. Farooqi later stated that in his 43 years on the bench he “had never seen a case in which normal investigative procedures were ignored as they were in this one.” Just a few months later, in July, 1991, Dilbaugh Singh was transferred to another station without ever having started the investigation.
    On March 18, divisional commissioner Wajahat Habibullah visited the village, and filed a confidential report, parts of which were later released to the public. He concluded:
    “While the veracity of the complaint is highly doubtful, it still needs to be determined why such complaint was made at all. The people of the village are simple folk and by the Army’s own admission have been generally helpful and even careful of security of the Army’s officers… Unlike Brig. Sharma I found many of the village women genuinely angry … It is recommended that the level of investigation be upgraded to that of a gazetted police officer.

    The team interviewed hospital officials who stated that one of the women who had been pregnant at the time of the incident had given birth to a child with a fractured arm just 4 days afterwards. She claimed that she had been kicked during the rapes; a pediatrician who visited the village as part of the Jammu and Kashmir People’s Basic Rights Committee, confirmed her story. The Press Council team claimed that the fetus had been injured during delivery. Medical examinations conducted on 32 of the women between March 15 and 21, nearly one month after the incident, confirmed that the women had wounds on their chests and abdomens, and that the hymens of three of the unmarried women had been torn. The team claimed that “such a delayed medical examination proves nothing” and that the medical findings were typical among villagers.

    The United States Department of State, in its 1992 report on international human rights, rejected the Indian government’s conclusion, and determined that there was “was credible evidence to support charges that an elite army unit engaged in mass rape in the Kashmiri village of Kunan Poshpora.” Outraged over the government’s handling of the situation, divisional commissioner Wajahat Habibullah immediately resigned, and asked for early retirement from the Indian Administrative Service.

  • Allegation against Finance Minister proved baseless: CM

    Jammu: Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah today said that allegation about one of his Cabinet Ministers Abdul Rahim Rather that he possessed a Bungalow in Dubai has proved totally baseless.
    Chief Minister said that the allegation leveled against Rather that he possessed a Bungalow in Dubai has been proved as totally wrong when investigated by the Vigilance Organization. Omar said this in the Legislative Assembly while replying the discussion on demand of grants for the departments under his charge.
    Omar, while dwelling on various measures taken by his government against corruption in the State, said that he is very strict against corruption and has never shielded any one in his government against whom there was any charge of corruption adding that when a complaint against Rather came to him, he immediately asked the Vigilance Organization to verify the matter. “The Vigilance Organization after conducting thorough inquiry found that the allegation was ill founded and totally baseless”, he said. (KNS)

  • Parents seek extension in winter vacations

    No decision on this so far: DSEK
    Srinagar: As the temperature in valley witnessed sudden fall Since Friday, parents across valley have appealed the authorities to extend the winter vacations in schools, keeping in view the prevailing cold conditions and the age of school going kids.
    According to the reports received by KNS, the parents across valley on Saturday stated that there are no adequate facilities of heating in the schools and that the children will to face a tough time of the schools would open on the scheduled dates (March 3).
    Pertinently, the temperature is valley witnessed a sudden decrease and there is no respite from the biting cold for the people at large. The parents stated that it would be tough for the kids, particularly of the lower classes to join schools at this time as the conditions of weather have not improved as much it was expected till now.
     “It will be difficult for our kids to leave during the early hours of morning as the temperature during that time is very low and  kids usually are prone to those disease that are caused by the cold conditions,” said Mukhtar Ahmad, a resident of old city here.
    The other parents while echoing the same statement stated that the authorities must look into the matter on priority bases so that their wards could re-join their schools at appropriate time.
    “We have seen in the past that there is no there is no adequate facilities of heating in schools particularly for the kids till middle class, also it must be looked into that kids are likely to face hardships while going and leaving from the schools,” said Nazir Ahmad, a Barzulla resident.
    Bilal Ahmad stated that the government has to adopt a strategy wherein a proper mechanism could be adopted so the school going children once the schools are open. “Let there be a proper planning and he authorities must take into consideration the age of the school going kids before making any plans for opening the schools on scheduled dates.”
    Director Education Kashmir, Mir Tariq Ali when contacted told KNS that no decision in regard to the extension of the winter break has been taken so far. “We know parents are demanding the same but we have not taken any final call over the issue. Once the same is made, everyone will come to know about that” the Director said. (KNS)

  • New Congress Party launched in Kashmir

    SRINAGAR: ‘New Congress Party’ was launched Saturday in Srinagar with its chairman saying that the party will support the former Kashmir chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and counter every move of present State Congress Chief Saif-u-Din Soz
    Addressing a news conference in Srinagar, chairman of New Congress Party, BM Reshi said Soz  was responsible for ruining the Congress party  in Jammu and Kashmir and claimed that he was having the backing of top Congress leaders in New Delhi. He said his party will field candidates in every constituency and support Mr Azad.
    Reshi said Congress leaders supporting Saif-u-Din Soz were responsible for the division of Congress party in Jammu and Kashmir and these leaders have destroyed the party of which Ghulam Nabi Azad is a part and who had worked hard to make this party popular and people friendly in the State.
    Castigating the present coalition government for failing to address the problems of common people, New Congress Party chairman said the leaders in India with whom he is in touch have promised his party that they will provide monetary help to set up different schools, colleges and other institutions where unemployed youth will get job to meet their both ends.
    He appealed people to make their candidates successful in coming elections.

  • HCJK leaders arrested while staging sit-in at Pratap Park

    Srinagar: Police Saturday arrested Hurriyat Conference Jammu Kashmir leaders when they were staging a sit-in demonstration at Srinagar’s Pratap Park to express solidarity with the Kunan Poshpora rape victims and to seek justice for them.
    According to a statement issued to KNS, senior Hurriyat Conference leaders Shabir Ahmad Shah, Nayeem Ahmad Khan, Shabir Ahmad Dar, Muhammad Yusuf Naqash, Muhammad Yusuf Ataai and Aijaz Ahmad Mir were arrested amid pro-freedom slogans and were lodged in Kothi Bagh Police Station. Hundreds of activists present there raised strong protests over the Police action on Hurriyat leaders.
    Prior to arrest, Shabir Ahmad Shah while speaking to media persons here, expressed serious disappointment over the criminal silence adopted by world bodies over the Kunan Poshpora mass rape incident and criticized the world bodies for not raising their voice against India in this regard. He also called for attention to the fact that culprits (Indian forces) of such inhuman acts are still roaming free.
    “Shah during the sit-in lashed out at India and its stooges in Jammu Kashmir for not holding the cuplrits of such crime accountable. He said till Indian forces remain here, our lives, honour and properties are at stake,” the statement added.
    The victims of Kunan Poshpora who were scheduled to come here along with Chairman, International Forum for Justice and Human Rights, Muhammad Ahsan Untoo, to take part in sit-in demonstration were prevented by a large contingent of Police at Goshi Pora, Kupwara and were dictated to return back.
    Hurriyat Conference Jammu Kashmir questions the world conscience to how long will they maintain the criminal silence over the oppression Kashmiris are facing at the hand of India, how long will the victims of Kupwara, Handwara, Shopian wait for getting justice. But Hurriyat Conference will stand by them all time to provide them justice at any cost. (KNS)

  • Gradual revocation of AFSPA will begin in present tenure of my government: Omar

    ‘One lakh employments for youth on fast track’

    Jammu: Stating that the graph of militancy related violence in the State has come down by over 70 percent during the last five years, Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah Saturday told Legislative Assembly while replying the discussion on his grants that he stands firm on his belief about gradual revocation of AFSPA and will continue to work for it.
    “I had said that the gradual revocation of AFSPA will begin from my government’s this tenure and the same will happen”, he asserted and rejected the contention of BJP legislator that revocation of AFSPA would be deceit to the personnel of forces who have sacrificed their lives. He said that this instead would be tribute to them as they achieved the martyrdom for creating peaceful atmosphere and normality in the State and revocation of AFSPA would be indication of peace.
    Omar Abdullah said that it is not necessary every important objective would be achieved without any struggle. “I talked about gradual revocation of AFSPA, worked continuously for it and there was a time when he and the then Home Minister of India P. Chidambaram where on same page and we had convinced the Prime Minister but the Defence Minister did not agree to the proposal as he was inclined to support the argument of armed forces in this regard”, he said and maintained the beginning of revocation of AFSPA will start during the present tenure of his government.
    Omar Abdullah said that the improvement in the security situation in the State has been a big achievement of his government. He said the contribution of security forces and J&K Police has been of highest degree in this direction. He said all schools have been vacated from the occupation of forces. He said 37 hospitals, 33 hotels, 30 industrial units have also been cleared during the last five years besides removing of 54 bunkers in Srinagar.
    The Chief Minister announced that government will examine the guidelines under which relatives of deceased militants and surrendered militants are given no objection for passports maintaining that 10 years and 12 years moratorium kept in the guidelines to provide passports to the relatives of the deceased and surrendered militants respectively will be reduced to a greater extent so that they could get the passports as early as possible.
    Omar Abdullah also rejected the criticising of Rehabilitation Policy and asked its critics that when there could be a surrender policy for active militants, implemented during the period of NDA, why can’t there be a policy for those who have crossed LoC and want to return back without any gun and live a peaceful life”. He said so far 308 persons have returned to the State under this policy alongwith their families and are living peacefully.
    On Pathribal issue the Chief Minister said that it will not be allowed to be ‘travesty of justice’. He said five innocents have been killed and who killed them has to be found out and justice given to the bereaved. “I have taken up this issue with the Prime Minister and he has assured me that he would discuss it with the Defence Minister”, he said adding that while we are not satisfied with the armed forces action about Pathribal, we appreciate the Army for instituting Court Marshal in the Machil incident.
     On relocation of Tosha Madain firing range, the Chief Minister said that the matter stands discussed in the Civil Military Liaison Conference and Committee headed by the Chief Secretary has been constituted to identify the alternate site for firing range so that Tosha Madian is opened for tourists and tourism related activities. 
    Regarding 2010 stone pelting incidents, the Chief Minster said that almost all cases have been withdrawn against those who were not involved in serious crimes. He said FIRs for each case of firing has been registered, charge sheets framed and presented in the judiciary for final verdict. He said that nobody wants juveniles to be arrested and put in juvenile homes. He added that parents have an important role in this regard to control their wards and keep them away from unlawful activities like stone pelting etc.
    Omar Abdullah said that sometimes restrictions are necessary to be imposed to safeguard the life and property of the people as such his government has does it in view of maintaining calm because certain people are always in search of putting fuel to the fire and disturb situation. He said that it has been seen how people tried to transfer Kishtwar incident to the Kashmir and other parts of Jammu. He said we are thankful to people that they have foiled these attempts. He said had his government imposed restriction in 2010 after the incident of Tufail Mottoo the loss of precious lives could have been saved.
    On use of non-lethal weapons, the Chief Minister said that his government never wants to use pellets or teargas shells. He said such incidents are deeply painful for him. “You can’t believe under which pain I go through when I am told about such incidents”, he said adding that while he will not hesitate to dismiss and punish the police personnel found responsible for use of excessive force he wants to appeal the parents of the youth to keep them away from indulging in unlawful activities like stone pelting as stone pelting is not answer to any problem.
    Omar Abdullah said that his government has sanctioned Hardship Allowance to the police personnel at the rate of 10 percent of the Basic Pay and an amount of Rs. 121.36 crores were incurred on this during the last year while Rs. 132.740-crore expenditure is being made to provide this Allowance this year. He said he will ask the Home and Finance Departments to examine the demand of increase in the ration money of police. He said the honorarium of Home Guards has been increased and the increase in the salaries of SPOs has been taken up with the Centre.
    Omar Abdullah said that power projects of the capacity of 1400 MWs have been started during the last five years by his government as against 750 MW capacity projects started during the period of about 60 years from 1947 to 2008 of which, Baglihar Hydro Electric Project sum for 450 MWs. He said his government has approved 850 MW Retli, 450 MW Baglhar-II, 37.5 MW Parnai, 48 MW Lower Kalnai, 390 MW Karthai-Stage-I, 93 MW New Ganderbal, 1000 MW Pakaldul, 660 MW Kiru and 600 MW Thermal Power Plant. He said within next five to seven years the State will be self-reliant in power generation and there will be no power cuts anywhere.
    The Chief Minister said that 18000 kilometres of transmission lines have been erected during the last five years while LT network constitutes 9204 kilometres. He said the AT&C losses have reduced from 72 percent to 64 percent last year which are being further reduced to 54 percent by the end of this year. He said T&D losses are being reduced to 52 percent by the end of this year. He said per capita consumption has gone up from 742 units in 2007-08 to 927 units in 2013-14 implying an increase of about 25 percent. He said the energy deficit has declined from 37.71 percent to 29.49 percent and peak deficit from 33.17 percent to 23.42 percent during the same period. He said energy supply has increased by 45 percent during the last five years from 8744
    MUs in 2007-08 to 12714 MUs in 2013-14. He said transformer damage rate has declined from 41.89 percent in 2010-11 to 21.45 percent in 2013-14.
    The Chief Minister said that government intends to roll out a scheme on pilot basis for revenue collection from power consumers by Panchayats. The Panchayat Halqa engaged in this task would get a share of the money realized for the development activities. He said that installation of new transformers has not been banned but put under the guidance that it should proportionate to load agreement of the feeding area. He said 30 towns are being brought under RAPDRP to upgrade energy supply and restrict the theft of electricity. He said all damaged transformers under RGGVY scheme will be replaced.
    On curbing corruption, the Chief Minister said that he has strengthened institutions and brought laws to restrict corruption and book culprits for punishment. He referred to the constitution of Vigilance Commission, Re-constitution of Accountability Commission, implementation of Right to Information Act and enactment and implementation of Public Services Guarantee Act besides putting in place the system of e-tendering and e-procurement in various government departments to bring in transparency. He said he is very strict against corruption cases and has not withheld for delayed any prosecution in this regard. “So much so, the complaints against my colleagues in the Council of Ministries have been referred to the investigating institutions”, he said and maintained that a complaint against Finance Minister, Abdul Rahim Rather of having a flat in Dubai was sent to Vigilance Organization for verification and the Vigilance Organization found the complaint baseless after verification and investigation.
    On employment, Omar Abdullah said that the recruitment agencies have been directed to fast track the process of employment and hopefully by the end of this year one lakh appointments will be made.
    On employees’ demands, the Chief Minister said that employees are the arms of the government and his government has done so much for employees which no government has done so far. “We do not want any confrontation with employees but like to resolve their all genuine demands by engaging them”, he said adding that there are some vested interests in their ranks which do not want to get demands realized in a congenial atmosphere but instigate employees to come on roads.
    The Chief Minster said that the run-ways at Jammu and Kargil Airports are being extended adding that Government of India has given clearance in this regard.
    Earlier, the Chief Minister moved a Demand for Grant of a sum of Rs.9453.37 crore to defray the charges which will come in the course of payment during the year ending March 31, 2015 for the departments under his charge.
    Twenty seven members took part in discussion on demand of grants including Mr. M. Y. Tarigami, Mr. A. R. Veeri, Mr. S. S. Slathia, Mr. T. Namgyal, Mr. Ashok Khajuria, Mr. Ashwani Sharma, Hakeem Mohammad Yaseen, Peerzada Mansoor Hussain, Kafil-ur-Rehman, Mr. Ashok Kumar, Harshdev Singh, Mr. Krishen Chander Bhagat, Mr. Nizam-ud-Din Bhat, Mr. Nasir Aslam Wani, Mr. Charanjit Singh, Er. Abdul Rashid, Mrs. Indu Pawar, Prof. Chaman Lal Gupta, Mr. G. M. Saroori, Syed Basharat Bukhari, Mr. Jugal Kishore, Dr. Mustafa Kamal, Mr. Durga Dass, Mr. Rafi Ahmad Mir, Mr. Yashpal Kundal, Mr. Balwant Singh Mankotia and Javed Mustafa Mir. 
    Later, the members, who moved the Cut Motions on the Grants, withdrew the same after the satisfactory reply from the Chief Minister. The House passed the Grants by a voice vote. (KNS)

  • Talat appointed as VC KU for another term

    Jammu: N.N. Vohra, Governor of J&K, who is also the Chancellor of the University of Kashmir, has in consultation with  Omar Abdullah, Chief Minister (who is Pro-Chancellor of the University) appointed Prof. Talat Ahmad as Vice Chancellor of the University of Kashmir, for another term of three years with effect from the date on which his present term expires. The present three year term of Prof. Talat Ahmad as Vice Chancellor of the University Kashmir is expiring on 31st May, 2014.
    Prof. Talat Ahmad, a noted Geologist, Fellow of all the major Science Academies of the country and recipient of several prestigious awards, had assumed charge as Vice Chancellor, University of Kashmir on 1st June, 2011.
    Prof. Talat did his Masters in Geology from the Aligarh Muslim University, M. Phil (in Ore Petrology-Geochemistry) and Doctorate (in the field of Igneous Petrology-Geochemistry) from the Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. He began his career as a Jr. Geologist with the Geological Survey of India (GSI) and, subsequently, worked at the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, Dehra Dun, as a Scientist for over nineteen years (1984-2003). Before joining as Vice Chancellor of Kashmir University, he had been serving as Professor at the Department of Geology, University of Delhi, since October 2003. (GNS)