Category: Union Territory

‘Don’t corner Kashmiris by attacking their sense of dignity

‘All State Govts duty-bound to ensure safety of Kashmiris’

Jammu: Monday, February 18, 2019: Peoples’ Conference Chairman, Sajad Gani Lone on Monday said that intimidation and harassment of Kashmiri students, professionals and families living outside Kashmir was unacceptable and cannot be passed off as a purportedly natural outburst. “These incidents are tantamount to trivialising the enormous sufferings and the pain suffered by the people of Kashmir over the period of the last three decades while their lives were engulfed by the scourge of violence and terror. They have been at the receiving end of the devastation that comes with a prolonged conflict and they have borne the brunt. To attack them, single them out and harass them is shameful and those behind such mob-mentality and bullying should be dealt with in the strongest of terms”, Sajad Gani Lone said today on arrival in Jammu where he is going to reach out to members of the community to ensure their safety and security.

“If stone pelting is wrong in Kashmir, it is equally wrong in Jammu and should attract the same legal and administrative response. What is wrong in Kashmir can’t be deemed acceptable and tolerable in Jammu. Law and Order is the subject of the State Administration and they need to ensure there is zero tolerance for these mobs in Jammu and those who are involved are arrested and persecuted”, Sajad Lone further added.

“All State Governments are duty bound to ensure the safety and security of all Kashmiri students, professionals and families residing in their respective States and no laxity should be tolerated in this matter. I have spoken to various State Government authorities and Police Authorities in various States and sought foolproof safety and security of Kashmiri students and families in those States”, the PC Chairman added.

SRINAGAR: BJP President Amit Shah said on Monday that Indian security forces will give a befitting reply to the “cowardly” militant attack in Pulwama in which 49 CRPF troopers lost their lives.

“Indian forces will hit back at the right time to avenge this cowardly attack. The BJP has always followed the policy of zero tolerance against terror. The party stands with the families of the CRPF troopers who sacrificed their lives for their motherland,” Shah said.

The BJP President was in the city on a one-day visit to address the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Shakti Kendra Sammelan and chair a meeting of party workers ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

Srinagar, February 18: Deputy Inspector General of police south Kashmir range, Amit Kumar sustained a bullet injury in his leg during an ongoing encounter between militants and forces at Pinglan village of South Kashmir’s Pulwama, a top official told KNO.

“Yes DIG South Kashmir received a bullet injury in his leg but he is stable,” the officer said. So far four soldiers including a major and two militants of Jaish-e-Muhammad militant including the “mastermind of recent Lethpora suicide attack” were killed in the encounter. Earlier, a lieutenant colonel of army also got injured in the fresh firing at the encounter site.(KNO)

Asks regional parties to assure making procedure for opening new institutions easy

Says voices like Kamal Hassan need to be heard by hardliners

Srinagar: AIP President Er. Rasheed has appealed regional political parties to assure and include in their manifesto that they
will ensure opening of new professional and technical colleges in the
state in private sector and will make the legal procedure for the same
easier. In a statement issued today Er. Rasheed said “While state
already lacks good professional colleges and institutions, but the
ongoing assault and harassment against Kashmiri students in other
states has created more need for establishing such institutions in
public and private sector. Many local investors have been trying hard
to get permission from the competent authority to establish various
much needed colleges in Kashmir valley but unfortunately bureaucracy
has been creating barriers and thus not allowing education sector to
flourish beyond a certain point. It is high time for all those
regional political parties who are in the race of power to make
sincere and concrete promises that they will not only allow investment
in the education sector without creating hurdles but will also create
a huge network of professional and technical colleges in every
district and region of the state”. Er. Rasheed said that whatsoever
Kashmiris are facing in rest of the states should act as a wakeup call
and while large number of students will prefer to leave their
education half way, rather studying outside J&K, parents will also be
facing physiological and real worries in sending their children
outside Kashmir. Er. Rasheed said “However we cannot deprive our
generation from getting best possible education in an era of huge
competition and advanced technology. It is also known to all that
getting passport too has become an uphill task for the youth and
studying outside Kashmir has become an issue, there is no way out but
to set up best class educational institutions in the state itself.
Prominent investors should prefer to invest in education sector. It
can really be a huge contribution towards the society. However unless
main political parties including NC and PDP do not promise to make the
process of establishing these institutions time bound and easy by
making necessary amendments in the laws, the aim cannot be achieved”.
Er. Rasheed welcomed actor turned politician Kamal Hassan’s statement
asking New Delhi to revisit its policies and resolve Kashmir dispute
by holding plebiscite, so that peace returns in the entire
sub-continent. He said “It is good to see credible voices speaking
sense and understanding the significance of finding peaceful
resolutions rather indulging in spreading venom against each other”.

Pulwama, February 18: Two militants have been killed and another army man succumbed to injuries in the gunfight raging in Pinglena area of Pulwama district taking the death toll to eight. Officials told KNO that the bodies of two militants have been recovered but firing continues. “We believe there are more militants hiding in the area. We have also lost another soldier, he succumbed to injuries,” an official said.

Earlier four army men were killed including a Major ranking officer. A civilian as well has died in the gunfight between militants and government forces in Pinglan area of South Kashmir that erupted in the intervening night.

The operation, according to officials, is going on.Reports reaching KNO said that four army men who were critically injured and were evacuated to hospital have succumbed to injuries.”The killed personnel include a Major ranking officer as well, ” sources said.

The civilian killed in the exchange of fire has been identified as Mushtaq Ahmad. A police source told KNO that Ahmad died in the exchange of fire between two sides. Official told KNO that there was a brief exchange of fire at around 1 am.

Earlier, joint team of army’s 55RR,CRPF 182 BN, 183BN and SOG Pulwama launched cordon and search operation in Pinglan area after having credible input about presence of some militants in the area.
As the joint team of forces approached the suspected spot the hiding militants fired upon government forces triggering an encounter. (KNO)

Chennai: Actor-turn-Politician, Kamal Haasan suggested to conduct a plebiscite to resolve Kashmir issue. Expressing his views on Army, he said, “I truly regret when people say army men are going to Kashmir to die”. He questioned, “Why should an army man die?”

He held politicians of both the countries responsible for the death of soldiers. He suggested ‘plebiscite’ and questioned, “Why have they not conducted it?”

He recalled that in his magazine he had predicted this situation to arise and regretted that he should have predicted something else.

Islamabad: Pakistan and Saudi Arabia on Sunday signed a slew of investment agreements worth USD 20 billion as the Crown Prince landed in the country for a two day visit.

At a ceremony in the Prime Minister House, Pakistan and Saudi officials signed MoUs for bilateral cooperation in a number of areas a process overseen by Pakistan premier Imran Khan and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman.

“Today we signed MoUs. The amount of that kind of investment is USD 20 billion. It is big for phase one and definitely it (Saudi investment in Pakistan) will grow every month, every year in bigger numbers and it will be beneficial for both the countries,” the crown prince said.

“Pakistan is going to be very, very important country in the future and we want to be sure we are part of that,” he added.

Seven agreements, including MoUs in power, petrochemical and mining sectors, were inked as Prince Salman launched his diplomatic trip to Asia in Islamabad.

After Pakistan, the crown prince will travel to India, where he will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

He is expected to finish the trip with a visit to China on Thursday and Friday.

Prince Salman said Saudi “cannot say no to Pakistan, whatever you (Pakistan) want we will do.”

“For Pakistanis, this is a great day,” the Pakistani premier said while addressing a dinner reception held in honour of the visiting Saudi guests at the PM House.

He said Saudi Arabia has always been there when Pakistan needed friends. “I want to thank you for the way you helped us when we were in (a) bad situation,” Khan told the royal guest, adding that Pakistan and Saudi Arabia were now taking their relationship to a new level, where investment agreements would be mutually beneficial for the countries.

“The future is exciting for both Pakistan and Saudi Arabia after joining hands,” he said.

Pulwama, February 18 : Four army men have been killed including a Major ranking officer. A civilian as well has died in the gunfight between militants and government forces in Pinglan area of South Kashmir that erupted in the intervening night.The operation, according to officials, is going on.

Reports reaching KNO said that four army men who were critically injured and were evacuated to hospital have succumbed to injuries.”The killed personnel include a Major ranking officer as well, ” sources said.

The civilian killed in the exchange of fire has been identified as Mushtaq Ahmad. A police source told KNO that Ahmad died in the exchange of fire between two sides. Official told KNO that there was a brief exchange of fire at around 1 am and from then no new contact have been established. Whole area is under cordon and search operation is going on.

Earlier, joint team of army’s 55RR,CRPF 182 BN, 183BN and SOG Pulwama launched cordon and search operation in Pinglan area after having credible input about presence of some militants in the area.
As the joint team of forces approached the suspected spot the hiding militants fired upon government forces triggering an encounter.(KNO)

Srinagar, February 18: Four armymen including an officer were killed and a soldier was injured in a gunfight at Pinglena area of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Monday.

Reports reaching GNS said that a joint team of army’s 55 RR, CRPF and SOG launched a cordon wee hours today.

A police offcial told GNS that the cordon was laid in the area following credible inputs about the presence of some militants.

As the joint team of forces intensified the searches and fired some warning shots towards the suspected spot, the militants opened fire triggering off a gunfight, he said.

During the course of gunfight, four army soldiers including a Major were killed.

The officer identified the slain soldiers as Major DS Dondial, Head Constable Save Ram, Sepoy Ajay Kumar and Seooy Hari Singh.

“The critically injured armyman has been identified as Sepoy Gulzar Mohd who has been evacuated to army’s 92 base hospital Badamibagh Srinagar for treatment”.

A civilian namely Mushtaq Ahmad is said to have received critical wounds during the exchange of gunfight, he said.

When reports last came in, the searches were going on in the area to trace out the militants. (GNS)