Category: Union Territory

PTI

India on Friday slammed Pakistan for making “unwarranted remarks” on Jammu and Kashmir, saying comments made by its Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari in the UN Security Council are a pavlovian response aimed to misuse any forum and every topic to propagate false and malicious propaganda against New Delhi.

India’s response came after Bilawal raked up the issue of Jammu and Kashmir, the abrogation of Article 370 and the recent order by the Delimitation Commission during his remarks at the Council debate.

“Pakistan Representative made unwarranted remarks, which symbolises nothing but a pavlovian response aimed to misuse any forum, and every topic, to propagate false and malicious propaganda against my country, Counsellor in India’s Permanent Mission to the UN Rajesh Parihar said.

India exercised the Right of Reply at the Security Council open debate on Maintenance of International Peace & Security – Conflict and Food Security’ organised by the US, the Council President.

The Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh were, are and will always remain an integral and inalienable part of India. This includes the areas that are under the illegal occupation of Pakistan. No amount of rhetoric and propaganda from any country can deny this fact, Parihar asserted.

The only contribution that Pakistan can make is to stop state sponsored terrorism. As regards to his other remarks, we will treat it with the contempt it deserves, Parihar added.

The Pakistan foreign minister, who is on a maiden visit to the US, also raked up the Kashmir issue while responding to questions during a press conference in New York on Thursday.

“As far as the question of our relationship with India is concerned, it is particularly complicated” by their recent actions in Kashmir – firstly the August 5, 2019 decision to abrogate Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir as well as the recent decision by the delimitation commission on Jammu and Kashmir, he said.

He said that these actions “have complicated this matter” and are an “assault” on the United Nations, the UN Security Council resolutions and the Geneva Convention. Bilawal said, “such actions make it very difficult for us to hold a dialogue” with India.

Tensions between India and Pakistan have spiked since New Delhi abrogated Article 370 of the Constitution to revoke the special status of Jammu and Kashmir on August 5, 2019. India’s decision evoked strong reactions from Pakistan, which downgraded diplomatic ties and expelled the Indian envoy.

India has categorically told the international community that the scrapping of Article 370 was its internal matter. India has repeatedly told Pakistan that Jammu and Kashmir “was, is and shall forever” remain an integral part of the country. It also advised Pakistan to accept the reality and stop all anti-India propaganda.

India has also told Pakistan that it desires normal neighbourly relations with Islamabad in an environment free of terror, hostility and violence.

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

Srinagar, May 20: Inspector General of Police Vijay Kumar on Friday reviewed security in Anantnag for upcoming Amarnath Yatra and among others threat of sticky bombs and drones was discussed, officials said.

A police officer told GNS that top police officer of Kashmir chaired a meeting of police officers from south Kashmir at Anantnag in connection with security preparation of the yatra. DIG South Kashmir Range Abdul Jabbar, SSsP of Anantnag, Kulgam and Awantipora participated in the meeting.

“Different types of threats specially threat of drones attack and sticky bombs to Yatra convoy and security forces and appropriate security responses were discussed in details,” the officer said, adding, “More focus was given on generating specific intelligence and conducting anti-(militants) operations on all yatra routes.” SSP Anantnag presented a detailed power point presentation, the officer said. (GNS)

Flight operations, tourism is not normalcy, situation contrary to Govt claims, employees feeling unsafe

Jammu, May 20: Lambasting the government claims over normalcy in Jammu and Kashmir, the former chief minister and Vice President of National Conference, Omar Abdullah on Friday said that flight operations and tourism cannot be considered as normalcy.

He also said that if the situation is peaceful, the government should conduct polls at earliest or else should accept that the situation is deteriorating than 1996.

Interacting with media person on the sidelines of a workers meeting and NCs medical center inauguration in Jammu, Omar said that earlier the government claimed that Article 35-A and 370 is the sole reason for militancy and separatism in Kashmir and both will end with after repealing of Article 35-A and 370.

“However, the reality is infront of us and situation in Kashmir is not conducive by anyhow and rather is deteriorating,” Omar said as per news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), adding that the target killings are on rise and areas like up town in Srinagar and north Kashmir are also getting troublesome in terms of militancy.

In reply to a question regarding Delimitation exercise, Omar said that population is an important criteria for delimitation and in that context increase of six seats in Jammu and one in Kashmir cannot be justified.

He, however, added that main problem is with the nature of delimitation for existing constituencies and the way new boundaries have been drawn as it all has been done to benefit a particular party in Jammu and its partners in Kashmir.

“The report has been prepared on the basis of politics and not keeping in mind the ground realities,” Omar further said.

Over resolution on loudspeaker ban in Jammu, he said that this issue is related to citizen of every religion and concerned administration should find a midway rather than making a decision, which affects religious sentiments of every citizens as loudspeaker are installed at every religious place.

Pitching for early assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, Omar said that if government is not going to hold elections at this point of time than it should accept that situation in Jammu and Kashmir is not conducive and is worse than 1996.

He further stated that number of flights and tourists footfall is not a sign of normalcy in Jammu and Kashmir and present situation is of level where government officials inside offices and police personnel in their houses are falling prey to bullets—(KNO)

Srinagar, May 20: Offices of Superintendent of Police East Zone and SDPO Kothibagh were gutted in an overnight blaze in city centre Lal Chowk in Srinagar.

An official told news agency Kashmir Dot Com that the fire broke out in the first floor of the building, housing SP East Zone office and SDPO Kothibagh office, which engulfed the floor completely and inflicted minor damage to the Kothibagh Police Station’s office as well.

 In the incident, one fire fighter identified as Ansar Ahmad Malla was injured while dousing the flames, he was immediately referred to SMHS Hospital for treatment, where his condition is said to be ‘stable’.

On Wednesday, the Traffic Police headquarters was partially damaged in a blaze, which broke out in the wee hours. The fire damaged the top floor of the headquarters with all the high-end equipment in the Traffic Control room gutted. (KDC) 

Ramban, May 20: An under construction tunnel coming up along Jammu—Srinagar national highway at Khoni Nallah Makerkote in Ramban district of Jammu region collapsed, official sources said.

“Many workers are feared to be trapped under the debris as tunnel at Khoni Nallah Makerkote area of Ramban district has collapsed,” official sources told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO)

“As many as two workers have been rescued and were taken to a hospital for treatment, while many others are missing,” they said, adding that the workers who are trapped and rescued there belong to SARLA company.

Officials said that the work was going on to build an underground tunnel from Khoni Nallah to Makarkoot, adding that the process of taking out the workers trapped under the debris is going on.

Meanwhile, the traffic has been stopped from both the sides along the highway—(KNO)

The Kothibagh police station caught fire .The reasons for the midnight fire were not immediately known.

Srinagar, May 19

Srinagar: The High Court of J&K and Ladakh on Thursday reserved verdict on a petition filed by the father of Amir Magray, one of the four persons killed in an “encounter” at Hyderpora area of Srinagar last year, seeking the return of his body for last rites. Amir’s father, Mohammad Latief Magray had filed the petition through counsel Deepika Singh Rajawat in December last year. A bench of Justice Sanjeev Kumar reserved the verdict after hearing the parties, according to the reports reaching GNS.

Referring to the exhumation and return of the bodies of two others, a building landlord and a doctor with whom Amir was working as an office peon on November 18, the petitioner pleaded the high court to direct the respondents, including the Union Home Ministry, J&K administration and the Director General of Police to hand over his son’s body for burial near his residence at Ramban.  

Magray had met Lieutenant Governor on 7th of December 2021 to press for the demand of return of the body and making the magisterial probe public.

The petitioner said he and his wife are grieving and restless as the respondents have not even given them a chance to see the face of their son the last time.

Expressing his wish to bury his son close to his house in Ramban district, the petitioner wants to ensure burial of his dead son within a prescribed period after exhumation and in an atmosphere required to maintain peace.

Head of the SIT, DIG Sujith K Singh at a presser earlier this year said that investigation has revealed that Amir was closely associated with the foreign militant ‘Bilal Bhai’, “who was killed in the operation while trying to flee”. (GNS)

Srinagar: The special court of National Investigation Agency (NIA) New Delhi Thursday convicted separatist leader Muhammad Yasin Malik in connection with the Hurriyat-Terror Funding Case.

In a statement to news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the NIA spokesman said that NIA Special Court, Patiala House, New Delhi convicted arrested accused Yasin Malik alias Aslam, s/o Md. Ghulam Qadir Malik, r/o Yasin Gali, Mayasuma, Srinagar, UT of J&K under sections 120B, 121, 121A of IPC and sections 13 r/w 120B, 15 r/w 120B, 17, 18, 20 38 and 39 of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for his role in Hurriyat Terror Financing Case (RC-10/2017/NIA/DLI)

“The case pertains to the conspiracy by Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, Amir of Jammat-ud-Dawah and the secessionist and separatist leaders, including the members/cadres of the Hurriyat Conference, who had acted in connivance with active militants of proscribed organizations viz. Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM), Dukhtaran-e-Millat, Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and others to raise, receive and collect funds domestically and from abroad through various illegal channels, including hawala, for funding separatist and terrorist activities in J&K to cause disruption in the Kashmir valley by way of pelting stones on security forces, systematically burning schools, damaging public property and waging war against India. The case was registered suo-moto on 30.05.2017,” the statement said, adding that “Charge sheet was filed against 12 accused persons including two absconding accused persons namely Hafiz Mohammad Saeed, Head of LeT and Mohd. Yusuf Shah alias Salahuddin, Head of HM, both based in Pakistan, on 18.01.2018. Subsequently, First Suppl. Charge sheet was filed against one accused person on 22.01.2019 and Second Suppl. Charge Sheet was filed against 05 accused persons including Yasin Malik on 04.10.2019.”

The statement said that investigation had established that Yasin Malik alias Aslam is the head of unlawful association Jammu & Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), and is involved in terrorist and subversive activities in J&K. “In 2016, he along with other Hurriyat leaders formed a self-styled group called ‘Joint Resistance Leadership’, whereby they started issuing directions to the masses to hold protests, demonstrations, hartals, shutdowns, road-blocks and such other disruptive activities which would push the entire society into chaos and lawlessness,” the statement said, adding that “He was also involved in raising funds from LOC traders, various entities based abroad and distributing those funds among militants and stone-pelters for funding stone-pelting and demonstrations. Charges were framed against Yasin Malik alias Aslam on 16.03.2022 and he had pleaded guilty on 10.05.2022. The quantum of punishment will be announced on 25.05.2022.”
The NIA said that Further trial against the remaining accused persons in the case continues—(KNO)

The court also sought an affidavit from Yasin Malik regarding his financial assessment and asked NIA to submit a report related to his financial assessment. Argument on sentence to take place on the next date of hearing, on 25th May.

Srinagar, May 19: Three young girls (name withheld) riding on a Scooty were injured after the Scooty they were riding met with an accident near Security Line in Srinagar uptown on Thursday.

Two among them are the residents of Bemina Srinagar and one is from Lawaypora.

Hospital sources told news agency Kashmir News Trust that three girls aged 14 and 15 respectively were brought to the SMHS Hospital after they had sustained injuries in a road accident.

A relative of one of the three girls said that the trio are stable and will be discharged from the hospital shortly. (KNT)