Category: Union Territory

Srinagar: Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) comprising Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik on Tuesday said that as every form of peaceful means of protest against human rights violations has been “crushed”, “hartals are the only option available.”
The JRL strongly condemned the “cycle of worst human rights violations being committed in Kashmir by the rulers.”
In a joint statement, the leadership said that as December 10 globally was observed as human rights day and it was decided to commemorate a human rights week to bring focus on the grave violations here and highlight them globally.
“Even organising peaceful events to register protest against the grave abuses taking place here such as candlelight protest becomes an eye sore for the perpetrators as they immediately launched a massive crackdown on leadership and the pro-freedom activists to scuttle even the peaceful programs,” the JRL said.
The leadership said that authorities arrested all those who took part in candle light protest including leaders include Noor Muhammad Kalwal, Shokat Ahmed Baskhi, Abdur Rasheed, Muhammad Yasin Bhat and Sheikh Abdur Rasheed.
The leadership said these leaders were detained during nocturnal raids on their residences, which reflects the ultimate “frustration and the worst form of authoritarianism.”
The leadership said that while Syed Ali Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq remain “illegally caged” in their homes, other leaders that include Muhammad Ashraf Sehrai and Bilal Sidique too have been placed under house detention while as JKLF chairman Muhammad Yasin Malik has been lodged in police custody since the commencement of so called panchayat elections where his health has deteriorated since past one week after which he has been hospitalised.
“Every form of peaceful means of protest against HR violations or expression of dissent is crushed or forcibly disallowed making hartals the only option available,” the leadership said.
They said while all peaceful means of protest stands choked whosoever raises voice is rewarded punishment in the form of draconian PSA.
“Because of the fact that every space for youth has been squeezed, they fell pushed to the wall and many forced to pick up arms to fight this state aggression and terrorism.”
The leadership made it clear that by detaining the leaders, lodging them in jails, and scuttling peaceful means of protests won’t break the resolve of neither the resistance leadership nor the people of Kashmir. They urged every segment of the society to follow the programs announced by the JRL in connection with the ongoing HR week in a bid to wake up the international community.
The Leadership urged the world peace organizations, international community, Amnesty International Asia Watch, UNHRC and ICRC to take note of the urgent Kashmir situation where innocent people are subjected to repression and even babies not spared the pellets and build pressure on New Delhi to stop the grave human rights violation forthwith.

Vijaynagar: As electioneering is at the peak in Rajasthan ahead of December 7 assembly polls, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday in a high-pitched tone hit back at Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar stating India’s next surgical strike will be on him. This was a retort to Azhar who reportedly threatened India recently on the Ram Temple construction issue.

Addressing a public rally here, the 46-year-old Chief Minister announced from the dais about the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) commitment to the cause of Ram Temple in Ayodhya.

“If Masood Azhar threatens us over Ram temple then militants like him will be eliminated in the next surgical strike. Even his masters will not be able to save him,” emphasised Adityanath.

This issue has been raked up by scores of leaders belonging to different political quarters highlighting how it is significant for the party. The Babri Masjid, built by Mughal emperor Babur in 1578 in Ayodhya was on December 6, 1992, pulled down allegedly by a group of Hindu activists, claiming that the mosque was constructed after demolishing a Ram Temple that originally stood there. Since then, several hearings have been held in the top court to resolve the issue. (ANI)

Srinagar: Two weeks after the senior Peoples Democratic Party leader MuzaffarHussainBaig said he was considering joining the Sajad Lone-led “third front” in Jammu and Kashmir, the PDP president Mehbooba Mufti met Baig at his residence here on Monday.

Mehbooba dropped at Baig’s residence at around 5 pm and the two leaders had a meeting for almost an hour, a party source said.

Though it was not immediately known what transpired in the closed-door meeting, the deliberations however assume significance as Mehbooba, a former chief minister, is battling rebellion within her party.

A senior PDP leader tried to play down the meeting, saying it was just a “courtesy call” from the PDP president.

“Baigh sahib hasn’t been keeping well for some time and that is why Mehboobaji went to inquire about his health,” said the party leader.

In his November 20 press conference, Baig, the PDP co-founder, had said that Mehbooba often visits his residence to seek his advice on different issues.

“But she never implements it,” he had said.

Baig’s relation with the PDP leadership plummeted when he was sidelined after the PDP-BJP alliance took shape in 2015. The alliance ended in June this year when BJP walked out of it, bringing down the Mehbooba-led government.

Baig, a former deputy chief minister, had criticised the party “over the way it has performed” during last two-and-a-half years and added that the PDP was “in perils” today and “hasn’t lived up to its vision.”

He had also criticised the party leadership for “aping” National Conference and staying away from municipal and panchayat polls, though he maintained that Mehbooba was “like my younger sister”.

“For me, Peoples Conference is like my home and Sajad Lone is like my son. If he is interested, there is a talk of third front, it should emerge and be encouraged….if it (third front) emerges, I will seriously consider joining it,” he had said.

However, he had put a rider that his next move would depend on reaction to his statements from the PDP leadership.

“Baig sahib is a very senior leader and one of the founding members of the party. He has been a torchbearer of the party and we hope he continues to remain the same,” said PDP chief spokesman Rafi Mir.

Chandigarh: Children using mobile phones for over four hours a day develop squint and double vision, revealed a PGI study, whose report was published in Neuro-Ophthalmology, an international journal, recently.

Three kids aged 8-12 years were examined in this observational study. The study found that on stopping the use of mobile phones, these children recovered completely.

As per the study, the three affected kids had visited the PGI for treatment. Doctors found two of them had a summer break at school and were excessively using smartphone for four hours a day in the preceding month.

The smartphone usage was discouraged and the kids were prescribed cyclopentolate drops to be administered twice a day for two weeks. At the first follow-up, both the patients were recovering and hence, were kept on the same medication. When symptoms subsided, the drops were tapered and then finally stopped. In addition, doctors gave them photochromatic glasses for outdoor use and prohibited the use of smartphone.

Based on the experience of the above cases, the third patient, who had symptoms only for one week, was discouraged from using smartphone and given placebo drops. In a week, symptoms started decreasing and hence, no cycloplegics were prescribed.

All three patients recovered in a period ranging from three to eight weeks. Patients were symptom-free at the final follow-up of six months, added the report of the study, which was conducted by doctors Savleen Kaur, Jaspreet Sukhija, Rahul Khanna, Aastha Takkar and Manpreet Singh. “We blame the use of smartphones for accommodative spasm. This is because of a positive and reliable history of cellphone usage and the third patient getting relieved of symptoms without medication. Smartphone usage is a representative of near work. Our cellphone dependence is increasing day by day. In addition, children are influenced by parents using smartphones. Nearly one-fourth of the young population is addicted to cellphone. In a technology-filled world of ours, “screenagers” should often be cautioned about the development of this symptom,” it added.

Srinagar: Eighteen militant associates arrested in three different operations in Kashmir, police told Valley Media Service on Monday.

Police busted three militant modules and arrested 18 of its associates in Tral area of Awantipora, Khrew area of Pampore, Baramulla & Srinagar.

In view of the surge in militant attacks in Tral in which civilians and security forces were targeted, creating an atmosphere of panic and fear, a special team was constituted to investigating these cases and on the basis of material evidence collected, four persons identified as Younis Nabi Naik son of Ghulam Nabi Naik resident of Pinglish, Fayaz Ahmad Wani son of Ghulam Mohi-ud-din Wani resident of Reshipora, Riyaz Ahmad Ganaie son of Mohammad Ramzan Ganaie resident of Nigeenpora and Bilal Ahmad Rather son of Ghulam Rasool resident of Hafoo Nigeenpora were taken into custody, a police spokesman said Valley Media Service in a statement.

Investigation into the cases revealed their complicity in the militant attacks carried out in Tral area of South Kashmir.

Another militant module was busted in Khrew area of Pampore in which six associates of proscribed militant outfit Jaish e Mohammad identified as Javaid Ahmad Parray son of Mohammad Shaban resident of Bethan Khrew, Yasir Bashir Wani son of Bashir Ahmad Wani resident of Babapora Khrew, Tahir Yousuf Lone son of Mohammad Yousuf Lone resident of Khrew, Rafiq Ahmad Bhat son of Ghulam Ahmad resident of Sharshali Khrew, Javaid Ahmad Khanday son of Ghulam Ahmad Khanday resident of Khrew and Imran Nazir son of Nazir Ahmad Najar resident of Mandakpaul Naimsaab Khrew were arrested on the basis of incriminating materials recovered, police spokesman said Valley Media Service.

Huge quantity of incriminating materials was recovered from this militant module including gelatin sticks, detonators, materials for making IEDs and grenades. All the incriminating materials have been taken in case records to probe their complicity in other militancy crimes, he added.

Meanwhile, based on a credible input that a “criminal conspiracy” has been hatched by some associates of militants to snatch weapons from on duty police personnel, Baramulla police has detained eight militant accomplices from Baramulla, Tangmarg and Srinagar areas, police said VMS. Consequently case FIR No. 102/2018 under section 18, 38 UA (P) Act was registered in Police Station Tangmarg and further investigation was initiated in the mater.

During the course of investigation, incriminating materials including arms and ammunitions were recovered from them. (VMS)

Srinagar: Incarcerated chairman of Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) Muhammad Yasin Malik has been today admitted in Soura Medical Institute Srinagar at the advice of doctors who examined him at Hospital today. On 01st December, JKLF ailing chairman was taken to Khyber Hospital where a team of doctors including his personal physician doctor Upendar Koul examined him and advised many medical tests for him which were taken at the said hospital. His blood samples, USG, INR, ECHO and other necessary tests were done and his USG showed multiple stones in both of his kidneys while as his INR also showed abnormality. After consultations with a senior urologist who advised many more medical tests, JKLF chairman who is still languishing in police custody was shifted to Soura Medical Institute by police where HOD cardiology Professor Nisar Ahmad Tramboo and HOD urology Doctor Salim Wani examined him and after thorough consultations advised to admit him at the said hospital. Doctors are examining the causes of severe back pain; Abnormality of INR and recurring of multiple stones in his kidneys. JKLF chairman is going through various procedures at SKIMS and after the coming of the result of these tests; doctors will suggest the further course of treatment. It is pertinent to mention that physicians are holding the repeated and prolonged incarcerations of JKLF chairman responsible for the present deterioration of his health and from 2016; Doctors have time and again called for providing Yasin sahib a suitable and healthy environment which so-called rulers and occupational authorities have been denying vehemently.

Srinagar: Peoples Conference (PC) Chairman and former minister Sajad Lone Sunday asked the Governor’s administration to restrict itself to governance only and not to invoke structural changes related to the Permanent Resident Certificates (PRCs) and Jammu and Kashmir Bank.
Taking to micro blogging site Twitter, Sajad wrote, “The governor administration needs to restrict itself to basic governance. No structural changes pertaining to PRC or J K Bank are acceptable. Restrict your energies to what u r mandated to do—which incidentally u r not doing. Please don’t invent new problems (sic).”

Srinagar: Chairman of Hurriyat Conference (G) Syed Ali Geelani on Sunday reiterated that no power on earth can deter the people of Kashmir from pursuing their mission.
Addressing the condolence gathering for slain militant Adnan Ahmad Lone over phone Geelani said, “Policy of suppression and repression in Jammu and Kashmir has failed to yield anything for New Delhi. Currently Delhi is facing a powerful people’s political movement for the right to self-determination in every nook and corner of Jammu and Kashmir.”

Referring to the sacrifices rendered by people especially youth Geelani said, “More than 6 lakh people have laid down their lives for the Kashmir cause and the sacrifices rendered by our youth won’t go in a vain.”
The Hurriyat (G) chairman said, “New Delhi is suffering from the arrogance of power and has tried its best to muzzle the voice of Kashmiris but has failed to do so.”
Reiterating his poll boycott appeal, Geelani said that “participation in any election amounts to treason and betrayal with sacrifices rendered by our nation”.