Category: Union Territory

China reiterated that Kashmir is a dispute left over from history between India and Pakistan, and opposed any unilateral actions that complicate the situation.

The Print

Beijing: The foreign ministers of China and Pakistan held their 2nd annual strategic dialogue on Friday during which they discussed ways to enhance their all-weather bilateral ties, the Kashmir issue, progress on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and the Afghan peace process.

Billed as highly relevant and very important by both the countries ahead of the meeting held in the southern Chinese island resort of Hainan, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi discussed a host of bilateral, regional and international issues.

A joint statement issued at the end of the meeting said that both sides underlined that a peaceful, stable, cooperative and prosperous South Asia was in common interest of all parties. Parties need to settle disputes and issues in the region through dialogue on the basis of equality and mutual respect .

The Pakistani side briefed the Chinese side on the situation in Jammu & Kashmir, including its concerns, position and current urgent issues , it said.

The Chinese side reiterated that the Kashmir issue is a dispute left over from history between India and Pakistan, which is an objective fact, and that the dispute should be resolved peacefully and properly through the UN Charter, relevant Security Council resolutions and bilateral agreements. China opposes any unilateral actions that complicate the situation , the joint press release said.

India has been maintaining that China has no locus stand in commenting on Jammu and Kashmir.

New Delhi has previously told Beijing that the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir “has been, is and shall continue to be an integral part of India.”

Earlier this month, the Ministry of External Affairs said that the issues pertaining to the Indian Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir were solely an internal matter of India.

“As on such previous occasions, this attempt too met with little support from the international community. We firmly reject China’s interference in our internal affairs and urge it to draw proper conclusions from such infructuous attempts,” the MEA said in a statement in New Delhi after China initiated a discussion in the UN Security Council on Jammu and Kashmir.

Ahead of the meeting between Wang and Qureshi, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman, Zhao Lijian told the media here on Thursday that this time the strategic dialogue is highly relevant and the two sides will take the opportunity to discuss anti-epidemic cooperation, bilateral ties and the regional and international issues of mutual interest.

Before leaving for Hainan, Qureshi told the media in Islamabad that “I am leaving on a very important visit to China. I had a discussion with the prime minister regarding this visit yesterday. My delegation will represent the stance of the political and military leadership of the country .

The meeting took place amid reports of crisis in Pakistan-Saudi Arabia relations which were regarded as the bedrock of Islamabad’s foreign policy for decades.

Qureshi left for Hainan after the return of Pakistan Army chief, General Qamar Javed Bajwa from Saudi Arabia, where he held talks with senior officials on the state of relations between Riyadh and Islamabad.

Pakistan Imran Khan said in an interview on Aug 19 that Pakistan’s future was linked to China as Beijing defended Pakistan in all difficult times. He said Chinese President Xi Jinping would visit Pakistan in the winter.

Wang and Qureshi reiterated that the enduring China-Pakistan all-weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership is beneficial to international and regional peace and stability, and serves the mutual security and development interests of both countries as well as of international community and regional countries.

On Afghanistan, the joint statement said both sides agreed to strengthen cooperation on the Afghan issue and appreciated the efforts made by Afghan government and the Taliban to initiate the Intra-Afghan Negotiations.

China appreciated Pakistan’s positive contribution to the Afghan peace process and efforts for promoting peace and stability in the region and beyond , it said.

Both sides agreed on continuing their firm support on issues concerning each other’s core national interests.

The Chinese side reiterated that Pakistan and China are iron brothers and Pakistan remains China’s staunchest partner in the region and that China firmly supports Pakistan in safeguarding its territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence.”

Beijing also said it supported Islamabad independently choosing a development path based on its national conditions, striving for a better external security environment and playing a more constructive role on international and regional affairs, the release said.

The Pakistani side appreciated China for standing together with Pakistan in safeguarding its national security and sovereignty, and reaffirmed its firm support to China on affairs concerning China’s core interests and issues of major concern, such as those related to Taiwan, Xinjiang, Tibet and Hong Kong , it said.

On the USD 60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) both sides have underscored that it has entered the new phase of high-quality development, and has played and will continue to play an important role in supporting Pakistan to overcome the impact of COVID-19 and achieve greater development.

The two sides will continue to firmly advance the construction of the CPEC, ensure in-time completion of those projects under construction, focus on economic and social development, job creation and improvement of people’s livelihood, and further strengthen cooperation in Specialised Economic Zones, industrial relocation, science and technology, medical and health, human resources training, poverty alleviation, and agriculture etc, it said.

India has protested to China over the CPEC as it is being laid through Pakistan occupied Kashmir.

With inputs from The Print

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Kashmir Today staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Former Union Minister and senior Congress leader, Prof. Saifuddin Soz on Saturday welcomed the joint statement by Kashmiri mainstream parties after first of its kind meeting at Farooq Abdullah’s residence. Apart from NC, ANC, CPI (M), PC and J&K PDP were part of the meeting to chalk out future strategy in the backdrop of abrogation of article 370 and 35 (A).

“I heartily welcome the joint statement of the Mainstream Political Leadership of Kashmir demanding restoration of Article 370, Article 35-A, J&K Constitution and Statehood of the J&K State. It is a gratifying situation that the Kashmir Mainstream Leadership has realized that the main plank of its struggle has to be the restoration of Article 370 and Article 35-A of the Constitution of India.

My understanding is that the leadership is conscious of the fact that there are other vital issues also such as restoration of statehood, restoration of Domicile Rights etc. which carry the same importance as the ones enunciated above. I feel sad that important political leaders such as Hakim Yaseen and some others have not yet joined the Kashmir Mainstream Leadership for the restoration of democratic and constitutional rights of the people,” Soz said in a statement.

The statement further read, “I would like to make an earnest suggestion to the leadership of the Apni Party to give its support to the Kashmir Mainstream Leadership and be part of the struggle. I do not feel any hesitation to emphasize that the time has come when Kashmir Mainstream Political Leadership should make a collective effort to make the Union feel obliged to change its policy of suppression of democratic and constitutional rights of the people of Kashmir.

PTI

New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday reviewed the overall security scenario in eastern Ladakh amid the ongoing talks between India and China on the disengagement process in the high-altitude region, people familiar with the developments said.

The meeting was attended by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat, Army Chief Gen MM Naravane, Navy Chief Admiral Karambir Singh and IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria.

The sources said all important aspects of the border row with China in eastern Ladakh were discussed in great detail.

The meeting also deliberated on the future course of approach in dealing with the situation, they added.

The analysis comes in the wake of the assessment by the Army that the Chinese military is not serious about the resolution of the border conflict in eastern Ladakh.

There has been a stalemate in the military talks as the Indian Army was strongly insisting that the Chinese side must restore the status quo ante of April this year to resolve the over three-month-old row.

The Indian Army has clearly stated to the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) that “shifting” of the Line of Actual Control is not acceptable to it, the sources said adding Chinese military is now desperately attempting to give “ex post facto strategic meaning” to its actions in eastern Ladakh.

“Due to the strong response of the Indian Army, the PLA is faced with unanticipated and unintended consequences of his misadventure,” said a source, adding it is looking for a “face-saving exit strategy”.

India and China have held several rounds of military and diplomatic talks in the last two-and-half months but no significant headway has been made in resolution of the border row in eastern Ladakh.

On Thursday, the two sides held another round of diplomatic talks following which the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said they had agreed to resolve outstanding issues in an “expeditious manner” and in accordance with the existing agreements and protocols.

However, the sources said the meeting could not produce any significant outcome.

The formal process of disengagement of troops began on July 6, a day after a nearly two-hour telephonic conversation between National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on ways to bring down tensions in the area. However, the process has not moved forward since mid-July.

The Chinese military has pulled back from Galwan Valley and certain other friction points but the withdrawal of troops has not moved forward in Pangong Tso, Depsang and a couple of other areas, sources said.

In the five rounds of corps commander-level talks, the Indian side has been insisting on complete disengagement of Chinese troops at the earliest, and immediate restoration of status quo ante in all areas of eastern Ladakh prior to April.

Even as both sides have been engaged in diplomatic and military talks, the Indian Army is making elaborate preparation to maintain its current strength of troops in all key areas in eastern Ladakh in the harsh winter months.

Army Chief Naravane has already conveyed to all the senior commanders of the Army, overseeing operation of the frontline formations along the LAC, to keep up a significantly high state of alertness and maintain the aggressive posturing to deal with any Chinese “misadventure”, the sources said.

The Army is also in the process of procuring a number of weapons, ammunition and winter gears for the frontline troops, they added. The temperature in some of the high-altitude areas along the LAC drops to minus 25 degrees Celsius in the winter months.

The tension between the two sides escalated manifold after the violent clashes in Galwan Valley on June 15 in which 20 Indian Army personnel were killed. The Chinese side also suffered casualties but it is yet to give out the details. According to an American intelligence report, the number of casualties on the Chinese side was 35.

Following the Galwan Valley incident, the government gave the armed forces “full freedom” to give a “befitting” response to any Chinese misadventure along the LAC.

The Army sent thousands of additional troops to forward locations along the border following the deadly clashes. The IAF has also moved air defence systems as well as a sizeable number of its frontline combat jets and attack helicopters to several key air bases.

Srinagar: Puncturing the tall claims of the government about quality education in the government-run schools, the Jammu and Kashmir’s School Education department has over 2000 untrained teachers, who are teaching the students of higher classes in various schools, an official data has revealed.

Official data has revealed that there were at least 2061 untrained teachers in the School Education department.

The official documents, available with the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) reads, “There are 2061 untrained teachers in Government Secondary Schools based on Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE) 2018-19 who do not meet the requisite professional qualifications.”

According to the documents, the Government of India (GoI) has said, “Union Territory (UT) is to roll out a policy to enroll such teachers in Teacher’s Educational Institutions to complete the professional course who are without having minimum qualification.”

The Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) has directed the concerned authorities to provide professional training to the untrained teachers.

“All the untrained teachers need to be professionally trained so as to be compliant with National Council for Teachers Training (NCTE) regulations,” it reads.

The MHRD officials said that a total of 23,137 KRPs and SRPs and 16,999,31 School heads and teachers have been trained under NISHTHA in 2019-20.

“In this regard given the positive feedback received from the States and UTs regarding the effectiveness of the NISHTHA training programme at the elementary level particularly in terms of effective transition of comprehensive and well defined modules covering various aspects teaching learning processes,” the official said.

The official further said that it has been decided to launch NISHTHA Phase-II at the secondary level in order to have a coordinated and learning outcome based training programme.

“Teachers, headmasters, principals of Government and Government aided schools at secondary level will be covered in NISHTHA Phase-II,” the official added—(KNO)

Srinagar: For the first time after over a year of stripping of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status, regional parties, including the National Conference (NC), the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) the Congress, the J&K Peoples Conference (PC), the CPI(M) and the Awani National Conference (ANC), on Saturday announced that they would continue to fight for the restoration of Article 370.

“We all reiterate that we are bound, wholly, by the contents of the Gupkar Declaration and will unwaveringly adhere to it. We are committed to strive for the restoration of Articles 370 and 35A, the Constitution of J&K and the restoration of the State and any division of the State is unacceptable to us. We unanimously reiterate that there can be ‘nothing about us without us’,” said a joint statement of these parties as per news agency KINS.

The statement was jointly issued by NC’s Dr. Farooq Abdullah, PDP’s Mehbooba Mufti, Congress’ G.A. Mir, CPI (M) M.Y. Tarigami, PC’s Sajad Gani Lone, ANC’s Muzaffar Shah.

“The signatories to the Gupkar Declaration of August 4, 2019, have barely managed to establish a basic level of communication with each other in the face of a series of prohibitive and punitive curbs imposed by the government, aimed at impeding all social and political interactions. The limited confabulations held within the constraints imposed have resulted in this unanimous resolution. The unfortunate events of August 5, 2019, have unrecognisably changed the relationship between Jammu and Kashmir and New Delhi,” the statement reads.
“In a spitefully short-sighted and unconstitutional move, Articles 370 and 35A were abrogated and the state was bifurcated and relegated to the status of two Union Territories and its Constitution tried to be made unenforceable. The series of measures undertaken on August 5, 2019, were grossly unconstitutional and in reality measures of disempowerment and a challenge to the basic identity of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

The measures attempt to redefine who we are. These changes were accompanied by repressive measures meant to silence people and coerce them into submission, and continue unabated,” the statement added.

Prior to stripping of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status, the leaders had met at the Gupkar residence of Abdullah here and drafted the Gupkar declaration.

Earlier on August 20, Abdullah had told reporters that he was in constant touch with Mehbooba and that they stood by the Gupkar declaration.

Asserting that these were “testing times and times of pain for the peace-loving people of Jammu and Kashmir”, the joint statement said: “We all reiterate our commitment to collectively fight to restore the Special Status of J-K as guaranteed under the Constitution and the commitments made from time to time. There is unanimity amongst us that collective institutions are the effective way to fight for these rights and tirelessly struggle to get back the special status and restore the Constitutional guarantees forcibly taken away, against our will. We want to assure the people that all our political activities will be subservient to the sacred goal of reverting to the status of J-K as it existed on August 4, 2019.”

“We all reiterate that we are bound, wholly, by the contents of the Gupkar declaration and will unwaveringly adhere to it. We are committed to strive for the restoration of Articles 370 and 35A, the Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir and the restoration of the state and any division of the state is unacceptable to us. We unanimously reiterate that there can be ‘nothing about us without us”, the statement added.

Srinagar: A Top commander of Lashkar Toiba was killed in an encounter in Saloosa area of Kreeri of North Kashmir’s Baramulla district on Saturday.

Inspector General of Police Kashmir, Vijay Kumar told GNS that top commander of LeT was killed in an encounter at Saloosa. He identified the slain militant as Anees Alias Chota Sultan from Pakistan.

Sultan was active since 2018 and was operating in Sopore, Zangeer and Bandipore areas.

01 AK-47 and 5 magazine were recovered from the slain militant, the official said.

Pertinently, this is second encounter in Baramulla district this week. 03 militants, 02 Army soldiers, 02 CRPF and 01 SPO of J&K police was killed in previous encounter at Kreeri.(GNS)

Srinagar: At least twenty private hospitals/nursing homes across Valley among ten are functioning alone from Srinagar including Noora Hospital, Zainakote and Florence Hospital, Chanapora are carrying its healthcare operations without holding proper medical registrations certificates, an RTI has revealed.

According to Kashmir News Service (KNS), a shocking revelation has surfaced that twenty private hospitals-cum-nursing homes are functioning without having valid documents across Kashmir Valley. Among un-valid health centers, ten belongs to only central Kashmir’s Srinagar district, said Siraj-ud-din an RTI activist who has sought information from DHSK.

Providing details, Director Health Services of Kashmir (DHSK) has in its reply said that there are forty-five private hospitals/nursing homes functioning across J&K including three from Ladakh Union Territory.

The information received under Right to Information Act (RTI) 2009, reads that there are at least twenty hospitals/nursing homes whose registration has been expired years before.

In Srinagar district there are ten hospitals/nursing homes whose registration certificates had been expired years before but the administration of the concerned have not approached yet to renew the validity of their institutions.

Those functioning without valid registration in Srinagar includes Care Hospital Bemina (13.11.2009), Florence Hospital Chanapora (13.01.2020), New City Hospital Tengpora (23.03.2020), Noora Hospital Zainakote (24.01.2020), Safa Marwah Medical Centre 90 Ft Road Soura (09.06.2020), Star Hospital Sanantnagar (26.10.2018), Mubarak Hospital Hyderpora (02.08.2009), Al-Ameen Charitable Trust Hyderpora (02.08.2014), Classic Hospital Hyderpora (02.08.2009) and Imam Hussain (AS) Foundation Hospital Bemina (23.01.2012).

However those belong to other parts of Valley includes Life Long Nursing Home, Beehama, Ganderbal (26.12.2019), Zenith Nursing Home, Exchange Road, Dangerpora Pulwama (21.02.2019), Kong Posh Nursing Home Pampore (28.03.2016), Hakim Sana-ullah Special Hospital & Cancer Centre, Sopore (26.07.2015), Dr Altaf Nursing Home Baramulla (28.08.2018), Sopore Nursing Home, Sopore (16.08.2018), St Joseph’s Hospital, Baramulla (28.03.2017), Al-Hayat Maternity & Laparoscopic Hospital, Janglat Mandi Anantnag (20.02.2020), Waseem Memorial Nursing Home, Handwara, Kupwara (02.03.2020) and Quality Health Care Centre, Bramri, Kupwara (10.07.2019).

In the document provided by the Directorate of Health Services Kashmir (DHSK), it has been surfaced that Noora Hospital Srinagar is refusing to provide treatment having golden cards issued under Ayushman Bharat by Government of India. However the applicant has been asked to sought information from CMO Srinagar.

Meanwhile sources told KNS that Directorate of Health Services Kashmir has failed to take legal actions against such medical centers who are running its business on the cost of lives of common people. They said despite these hospitals are charging hefty amounts from patients but have failed to renew their registration certificates which is mandatory for continuing health care services. (KNS)

PTI

Jammu: Pakistani Rangers violated ceasefire by resorting to unprovoked firing and mortar shelling along the International Border in Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said on Saturday.

The ceasefire violation in the Border Out Post Karol Mathna area of Hiranagar sector started at 11.30 pm on Friday, prompting strong and effective retaliation by the Border Security Force (BSF), they said.

The cross-border firing between the two sides continued throughout the night and ended at 4.40 am on Saturday, officials said.

There was no report of any casualty or damage on the Indian side, they said.

However, the firing caused panic among border residents who were forced to spend the night in underground bunkers for their safety.

Pakistan has been frequently targeting forward posts and villages in Hiranagar sector of Jammu and Kashmir to stall the construction work being undertaken by BSF to strengthen the counter-infiltration grid, officials added.

One militant killed, Gunfight continues

Srinagar: One militant has been killed in ongoing encounter between militants and security forces in saloosa area of Kreeri of North Kashmir’s Baramulla district on Saturday.

Offcial sources told GNS that, one militant has been killed in ongoing operation, however his identity couldn’t be ascertained yet.

Pertinently, this is second encounter in Baramulla district this week. 03 militants, 02 Army soldiers, 02 CRPF and 01 SPO of J&K police was killed in previous encounter at Kreeri.

Earlier, A senior Police officer told GNS that on specific information A joint team of Police, Army’s 52RR and 176BN of CRPF launched cordon and search Operation in the Saloosa.

As the joint team of forces approached towards the suspected spot, the hiding militants fired upon the party triggering off an encounter.

As per the sources two to three militants are believed to be trapped.(GNS)

This is a developing story.

Further details awaited.

Both countries back each other on ‘core national interests’

China and Pakistan on Friday said they would firmly back each other on “core national interests”, as their Foreign Ministers discussed the Kashmir issue in their annual strategic dialogue.

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, left, and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi at the talks held in China’s Hainan province. | Photo Credit: @SMQureshiPTI/Twitter

China said Pakistan was “its staunchest partner in the region” and it would “firmly support” the country “in safeguarding its territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence” and in “striving for a better external security environment,” according to a “joint press release” from Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry.

At the talks in China’s Hainan province, China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi both “underlined that a peaceful, stable, cooperative and prosperous South Asia was in common interest of all parties,” the release said.

Call for dialogue

“Parties need to settle disputes and issues in the region through dialogue on the basis of equality and mutual respect,” the release said. “The Pakistani side briefed the Chinese side on the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, including its concerns, position and current urgent issues. The Chinese side reiterated that the Kashmir issue is a dispute left over from history between India and Pakistan, which is an objective fact, and that the dispute should be resolved peacefully and properly through the UN Charter, relevant Security Council resolutions and bilateral agreements. China opposes any unilateral actions that complicate the situation.”

China’s comments on “unilateral actions” echoed Beijing’s multiple statements last year that hit out at India’s move to dilute Article 370 and end statehood for Jammu and Kashmir. China had also opposed the creation of the Ladakh union territory and said the move had “undermined China’s sovereignty” as it included Aksai Chin and areas claimed by China, although the internal reorganisation did not change India’s external boundaries.

Xi’s message

On Friday, China also released what it called “an oral message” from President Xi Jinping to his Pakistani counterpart, as well as a statement made by Mr. Wang, the Foreign Minister, at the talks. Both those statements did not mention the Kashmir issue.

Mr. Xi, in a message sent to mark the second meeting of a consultation mechanism among the political parties of both countries under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) plan, described the two countries as “brothers and partners” and the CPEC as a landmark project of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). He said China would work with Pakistan to “jointly promote the unity and cooperation of countries in the region.”

Mr. Wang said both were committed “to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, and support for multilateralism, free trade and win-win cooperation, and opposition to unilateralism, protectionism and coercive practices,” said a statement from China’s Foreign Ministry.

The press release from Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said both sides “agreed on continuing their firm support on issues concerning each other’s core national interests.”

“The Chinese side reiterated that Pakistan and China are iron brothers and Pakistan remains China’s staunchest partner in the region and that China firmly supports Pakistan in safeguarding its territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence, independently choosing a development path based on its national conditions, striving for a better external security environment and playing a more constructive role on international and regional affairs,” it said. “The Pakistani side appreciated China for standing together with Pakistan in safeguarding its national security and sovereignty, and reaffirmed its firm support to China on affairs concerning China’s core interests and issues of major concern, such as those related to Taiwan, Xinjiang, Tibet and Hong Kong.”

Both also agreed “to strengthen cooperation on the Afghan issue” and “appreciated the efforts made by the Afghan government and the Taliban to initiate the Intra-Afghan negotiations.” The press release said they encouraged parties in Afghanistan to “seize this historic opportunity and commence the Intra-Afghan Negotiations at the earliest leading to durable peace and stability in Afghanistan.”

With inputs from The Hindu