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JAMMU: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national president Amit Shah today lauded the people of Jammu and Kashmir for braving threats…

JAMMU: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national president Amit Shah today lauded the people of Jammu and Kashmir for braving threats and boycott calls to turn up in large number to exercise their right to franchise in Panchayat and Urban Local Bodies elections in the State, which were conducted successfully under the Governor’s rule after a gap of several years.

Shah said this in a meeting while reviewing affairs of Jammu and Kashmir in New Delhi today.

BJP general secretary and party’s pointman on Jammu and Kashmir, Ram Madhav, Avinash Rai Khanna, State BJP chief Ravinder Raina and State general secretary (organizations) Ashok Koul attended the meeting.

Shah had appreciated successful conduct of Municipal elections in Jammu and Kashmir after more than eight years and Panchayat polls after over two years and victory of maximum BJP candidates in both the bodies.

“People have full faith in the BJP, which was evident from the party’s resounding victory in Urban Local Bodies and Panchayat elections. The BJP will get majority in the upcoming Assembly elections also and form its Government in the State,” insiders quoted Shah as saying in the meeting.
Shah said despite threats by the militants and separatists and boycott calls by two mainstream political parties including National Conference and People’s Democratic Party (PDP), the people participate in large numbers in the elections for Panchayats and Municipalities, which showed their immense faith in democratic system of the country.

“People ignored the boycott calls and openly participated in the elections, which was evident from good turnout in the elections to civic bodies across the State,” Shah said and lauded State leadership of the BJP for party’s victory in maximum numbers of Municipalities and Panchayats.

The BJP national president called upon the State leaders and Incharge of Jammu and Kashmir to gear up for Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in the State immediately to ensure party’s victory on maximum seats. He reviewed preparations for both the elections.

The BJP had won three Lok Sabha seats including Jammu-Poonch, Doda-Udhampur and Ladakh in 2014 Parliamentary polls out of total of six seats in the State. It had captured 25 Assembly seats in 2014 Assembly elections and became coalition partner in the State for the first time with the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

While Lok Sabha elections were scheduled to be held in April-May, the Election Commission was yet to take call on when to hold the Assembly elections in the State. The Legislative Assembly was dissolved by Governor Satya Pal Malik on November 21 and the elections had to be held within six months of the dissolution.

Meanwhile, the BJP national council, the party’s largest organizational body, will meet in New Delhi on January 11-12, while its key wings will hold meetings across the country in the coming weeks as it steps up its campaign for the Lok Sabha polls in 2019.

The dates were finalised at a meeting, which was chaired by Amit Shah, of the party’s office bearers and key leaders from States.

Dates of the meeting of the seven ‘morchas’, party’s key wings focused on different demographic groups, were also finalised.

The youth, women, scheduled castes, and minorities’ wings will be meeting respectively on December 15-16, December 21-22, January 19-20 and January 31-February 1 in Delhi, Ahmdabad, Nagpur and Delhi.

The Scheduled Tribes, other backward communities and farmers’ wings will hold their respective meetings on February 2-3, February 15-16 and February 21-22 in Bhubaneswar, Patna and Uttar Pradesh.

Top party leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Ministers Rajnath Singh and Nitin Gadkari besides Shah, will be addressing these meetings.

The meetings of different party wings will highlight the BJP’s efforts to reach out to different sections of society ahead of the Lok Sabha polls as it works to retain power at the Centre.

Srinagar: Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chairman Muhammad Yasin Malik Thursday visited Mujgund on Srinagar outskirts where three militants were killed in a gunfight with the forces on December 9.

He expressed solidarity with the families whose houses were destroyed during encounter.

“Kashmir is burning and Kashmiris are being brutalized by Indian aggression. Mayhem at Mujgund is actually a minuscule example of Indian aggression in Kashmir which is killing, maiming, destroying and oppressing Kashmiris at will.

“All this aggression is continuing in the name of operation all-out which is aimed to punish Kashmiris for their exemplary resistance and resilience,” a JKLF spokesman quoted Malik as having said while talking to the victim families.

Malik said, “Indian rulers have given a freehand to its forces to kill, maim, arrest, torture, intimidate Kashmiris. They have a license to kill and destroy our properties and inflict every kind of miseries on us. It is our religious, moral and national duty to resist this onslaught and at the same time help those who are victims of this onslaught,”

After meeting the victim families, JKLF chairman went to SMHS hospital to see the 18-month-old Hiba Jan who became the youngest pellet victim. The infant girl is under treatment at the hospital and has been operated upon recently.

JKLF chairman stayed at hospital for some time with the family of the victim infant and talked to doctors treating little Hiba Jan, the statement said.

“Pellets are worldwide used to hunt animals but in Kashmir this weapon is being used to kill and blind humans and ironical part of this is that no one in the international community is taking note of this,” Malik said.

Malik said that Baby Hiba Jan was not carrying any gun or stone and she was fired upon and deprived of her eyesight in the lap of her mother. “Those who boast about being democrats and peace lovers,” he said, should answer as to why the eyesight of this 18 month old baby was snatched by pellets?

He, according to the statement, accused the Indian leaders and their deployed authorities in Jammu Kashmir of unleashing oppression in a bid to “defeat Kashmiri resistance but they fail to realize that.”

He said, “India and its viceroy in the form of Governor should wake up from their daydreaming and realize that sooner or later India will have to acknowledge the aspirations of the people of Jammu Kashmir, bow before a people’s resistance and accept their right of self-determination as it is also in the in the interest of their own nations and people.”

Meanwhile, JKLF chairman Muhammad Yasin Malik has expressed his deep grief and sorrow over the demise of mother of editor in chief Kashmir reader Haji Hayat Muhammad Butt today.

Expressing solidarity with the bereaved family, Malik prayed for the heavenly abode of the deceased.

Nine IPS officers, including former director general police Shesh Paul Vaid, will also be retiring next year.

At least 49 top officers from civil and police administrations will be retiring in Jammu and Kashmir next year.

According to details available with Greater Kashmir, these include 17 Indian Administrative Service and Indian Police Service officers.

Those retiring in the civil administration include KB Aggarwal (financial commissioner, housing and urban development department), Suresh Kumar (additional secretary, union coal ministry), LokeshDuttJha (vice-chairman/director general, institute of management, public administration and rural development), ShahidAnayatullah (commissioner secretary, revenue department), Baseer Ahmad Khan (divisional commissioner Kashmir), Hilal Ahmad Parray (commissioner secretary, general administration department), BasharatSaleem (director general, census operation) and Muhammad Javed Khan (secretary, department of floriculture, parks and gardens).

Nine IPS officers, including former director general police Shesh Paul Vaid, will also be retiring next year.

Vaid was removed as the state police chief in September this year after suspected militants abducted 11 policemen in southern Kashmir areas in retaliation to the detention of a militant commander RiyazNaikoo’s father.

Apart from Vaid, six more local IPS officers—Muneer Ahmad Khan (ADGP law and order/security), Shafkat Ali Wattali (IGP armed Kashmir), JP Singh (IGP-personnel PHQ), Surinder Kumar Gupta (director SSG), Deepak Kumar Slathia (DIG Rajouri-Poonch range) and Rafeeq-ul-Hassan (I/C DIG armed Jammu).

Also, two non-local IPS officers—SK Mishra (chairman-cum-managing director, J&K police housing corporation) and DR Dolley (on deputation with the government of India)—are retiring next year.

According to details, 16 KAS officers are scheduled to retire in the next 12 months. These include PeerzadaHafizullah Shah (commissioner SMC), Avtar Singh Chib (special secretary, industries and commerce department), Chaudhary Rashid AzamInqalabi (special secretary, higher education department), Nasir Ahmad Naqash (deputy commissioner, Baramulla), ManoharLal Raina (commissioner, relief and rehabilitation-migrants), Abdul Hamid (additional district development commissioner Poonch), LaiqParvez (programme officer ICDS project Kulgam), SumanBala (project officer, self employment Jammu), Angrez Singh (collector/project officer, wage employment), Muhammad Shafi Dar (deputy secretary, horticulture department), Devinder Kumar (general manager, DIC Samba), Abdul Rashid Mir (SDM Dooru), RifatNaseem (collector land acquisition PHE, irrigation and flood control Kashmir), Muhammad Afzal (SDM Mendhar), RaziaBano (deputy director, trainings, directorate of handloom) and NaseemaBano (personnel officer, associated hospitals GMC, Srinagar).

In the police department, 16 KPS officers are also attaining superannuation in next 12 months.

These include Ramesh Kumar Jalla (SSP Crime Branch), who investigated the gruesome rape and murder of eight-year-old child in Kathua.

SRINAGAR: BJP youth leader Er. Aijaz Hussain while demanding probe into the recruitment scams in J&K Bank says the bank has been the hub of corruption and nepotism from decades.

ER Aijaz Hussain National Vice President of Youth wing of ruling party BJP while speaking with News agency Press Trust of Kashmir said “JK Bank who was once a repute organisation of the state has now become the hub of corruption and nepotism and alleged that the beneficiaries of theses scams are trying every means to save the culprits”.

He further said that they are not making the data of JK bank public owing to the fear that its bluff in making illegal appointments and other irregularities will be exposed. “All the posts from peons to PO to managers have been sold off to ineligible candidates on account of pecuniary gains and political mileages ” Aijaz added. “Many candidates have been selected on the basis of recommendations made by political leaders in their favour. Merit has become a casualty. Region, constituency, favoritism, nepotism, cheating and fraud have trumped necessary qualifications” he added.

He further added last month Governor Sayta Pal Malik said that there are lot of scams in J&K bank then why Governor closed that case and no action has been taken so far, added if J&K Bank brought under purview of the Right to Information (RTI) Act this will help in crumbing the corruption and malpractices which has been unnoticed for decades.

Er Aijaz added that “if governor closed the case then it will be injustice with the qualified youths of the state and will further create mistrust among the youths”. He further added that Governor is very serious in curbing the corruption in the state and demanded the independent probe into the recruitment scams. (PTK)

NEWDELHI DEC 12: Senior Congress leader Salman Nizami who actively campaigned in the recent assembly elections said “BJP has got “Triple” Talaq in the Polls. Nizami tweeted mocking BJP, said the recent victory in 3 states by Congeess and 2 by others is a good news as BJP now got triple Talaq’s. This is not just victory in mere elections. This is young India’s endorsement of Rahul Gandhi as their leader and his policies as the country’s future. This is a mandate for making of a new India. He added, elections are fought by people who have ground information. Thanks Rahul Gandhi for ignoring the social media turks operating from AC cubicles and letting we ground soldiers work hand in hand with you. The results are for Everyone one to see. In a tweet, Nizami said “The youth said it. The farmers said it. The Hindus said it. The Muslims said it. The tribals said it. The Dalits said it. Cities said it. Villages said it. MODI PACK UP. In another tweet while targeting MIM Chief Assaduin Owaisi, Nizami said Owaisi preach your pearls to your 7 MLAs. Rahul ji is the choice of youth. And mind you of all sections. Unlike you he talks for everyone. His politics will prevail. Your communal card will fail.

Srinagar: Two militants were killed in an overnight gunfight with the government forces in Sopore area of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district.
Quoting a senior police official, news agency GNS reported that two militants were killed in the gunfight that broke out last night in Gund Brath village of Sopore.

The operation, he said, was halted due to darkness last night and was resumed early morning.
He said the gunfight broke out following a search operation launched by the forces after inputs about the presence of militants.
An army spokesman also confirmed the killings of two militants. He said the operation is in progress.
The slain militants were identified as Owais Bhat and Tahir Ahmad Dar — both local residents and affiliated with Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT).

Tangmarg: In order to keep the rail passengers updated about the local train timings, a youth from Tangmarg area has developed an android application.
Mehraj-ud-din Bhat, who hails from Lalpora Kunzer in Tangmarg area of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, has named the application “Kashmir Railway Train Timing” which is available for download on Google Play Store.
Bhat is currently pursuing Bachelors in Computer Application (BCA) at Government Degree College (GDC) Baramulla.
Talking to ‘Kashmir Images’ Bhat said it took him almost 45 days to come up with the app.
“The application, which is available on Google Play Store and has currently 1k users, updates the railway schedule and timings of all stations,” said Bhat.
“I collect the train timetables from each railway station and then upload them on my application,” he added.
Bhat said that he developed the app under the supervision of his teacher cum mentor, Zubair Syed Masoodi, who teaches at BCA department GDC Baramulla.
The first version of “Kashmir Railway Train Timing” application was updated on 29 July, 2018.

December: Two unidentified militants killed in an encounter with government forces in Sopore area of Baramulla district of Jammu & Kashmir. Reports reaching KNO that two unidentified militants killed and operation on.

Earlier, Government forces launched a cordon and search operation in Gund Mohallah Brath village of Sopore township in the north Kashmir district after receiving intelligence input about the presence of militants in the area. The search operation turned into an encounter after the hiding militants fired upon the forces. Meanwhile, authority suspended internet services in district. (KNO)

Undergoes second surgery at SMHS Hospital

Srinagar: Pellet has caused “total retinal detachment” in 19-month old Hiba Jan’s eye, a doctor who was part of the team that operated upon her injured eye today at SMHS Hospital said. He said that although the detachment had been repaired, but the success of the procedure would be known in a couple of days.

Retinal detachment is a condition in which retina, a layer on which image is formed in the eye, separates from the layer behind it. If the retina has detached entirely, it results in complete blindness, a senior ophthalmologist at SMHS Hospital said. In an attempt to salvage vision in her injured right eye, a team led by a vitreo-retinal surgeon performed Vitrectomy on her eye, in addition to fixing the retina back to its original position.

Doctors remained guarded while commenting about the outcome of her surgery. “The injured eye was not good at all. We have done the best we could, but can’t predict anything in such cases,” a senior surgeon said.

Although in older patients the procedure is done under local anesthesia, Hiba, being a little child and “difficult to be settled for surgery” was given a general anesthesia.

The three hours that Hiba Jan was inside the ophthalmology operation theatre of SMHS Hospital were the longest for her parents. Frozen around her hospital bed, the couple wept silently, as other relatives and attendants of patients tried to assure them that their daughter would be alright.

When Hiba was brought out of the theatre, a thick padding and bandage was back on her eye— like the day pellet pierced her eyelid, making a hole in her eyeball and causing serious injuries to various parts inside. She continued to sleep under the effect of anesthesia, even as her parents kept calling out her name, kissing her face and tickling her soles as directed by a doctor.

The couple broke down many times as attendants of other patients urged them to eat. “She is starving, how can I eat?” Marsala Jan, Hiba’s mother cried. For the surgery, Hiba had been kept fasting seven hours prior to surgery. “She is not to be fed anything for next four hours,” a doctor instructed the parents after the surgery.

Hiba is the youngest victim of pellet shotguns, doctors at the hospital said. She will be 20-month old on Thursday. She was injured when pellets fired by government forces hit her at the door of her house as her mother tried to leave the dwelling full of tear smoke when clashes broke out after an encounter in adjoining village on November 25. Government has announced an inquiry into the incident. A compensation of Rs 1 lakh was also given to the family.

New Delhi: The Government of India (GoI) Wednesday said India had repeatedly called upon Pakistan to immediately vacate all areas under its “illegal occupation” and it made this assertion to Islamabad last month as well.
Replying to a question in LokSabha, External Affairs Minister SushmaSwaraj said India’s “consistent and principled position is that the entire state of Jammu and Kashmir has been, is, and shall be an integral part of India.”
“Pakistan has been in illegal occupation of approximately 78,000 sq km of Indian territory in the state of Jammu & Kashmir,” Swaraj said.
“Under the so-called ‘Boundary Agreement’ signed between China and Pakistan on March 2, 1963, Pakistan illegally ceded 5,180 sq km of Indian territory in Pakistan administered and Kashmir to China,” she said in her written reply.
“We have repeatedly and consistently called upon Pakistan to immediately vacate all areas under its illegal occupation, most recently on November 30, 2018,” Swaraj said, without elaborating on where the issue was raised with Pakistan.
Pakistan continues to be in illegal and forcible occupation of a part of Jammu and Kashmir, she asserted.
To another question in LokSabha on the number of incursions in Doklam during 2014-2018, Minister of State for External Affairs V K Singh said: “Doklam is part of the territory of Bhutan.”
She said government regularly takes up any transgression along the Line of Actual Control with the Chinese side through established mechanisms as well as through diplomatic channels.
To a question on whether the Ministry of External Affairs or any other officials have any involvement or signed any agreement with the French government for the procurement of Rafale jets, Singh said, “No”.