Kashmir.Watch

Category: Union Territory

  • PDP to expedite efforts for political stability, sustainable peace in JK

    ‘Mufti Sahab would always term Srinagar as heart of J&K’

    Srinagar: Reiterating the partys commitment to strive for the socio-economic growth and development of the people of the state as envisioned by late Mufti Mohammed Sayeed, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has resolved to expedite and augment the efforts for political stability and sustainable peace in Jammu and Kashmir.
    Addressing a meeting of top party functionaries, Ministers and Legislators of Central Kashmir here, the party General Secretary Mohammed Sartaj Madni said that PDP has a proven record of providing responsible government, addressing the governance deficit and reforming the financial structures keeping in view the global standards.
    “PDP has a proven track record of creating an enabling environment for the promotion of businesses, commerce, tourism and creating avenues of meaningful and respectable employment opportunities for our educated youth,” he said.
    He said while the state of Jammu and Kashmir is faced with many challenges, the government headed by Mehbooba Mufti is working on series of reformative measures to empower the people of the state as was done by late Mufti Mohammed Sayeed.
    Madni said the party believes that socio-economic up-liftment and empowerment of the people forms the very basis for any forward movement towards any political resolution.
    “Financial and economic independence gets people out of the shackles of misery and agonies which have been forced upon people due to political short-sightedness,” he said.
    Espousing the dream of late Mufti Mohammed Sayeed for the development of Srinagar city, the senior party leader, Nizamuddin Bhat said that the Srinagar city being the epicenter of economic activities, upward social mobilization, and engine of cultural reinvigoration will get a focused attention by the incumbent government.
    “Mufti Sahab would always term Srinagar as the heart of J&K and worked to give this historic city a new outlook. Endeavours of turning Srinagar into a smart city are afoot. By dovetailing craft, heritage and tourism this government is committed for generating livelihood projects for its people,” he added.
    Bhat hoped that peace will soon return through various endeavours including the resolution of all issues and these dreams of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed will hopefully become possible.
    Besides others, Senior party leaders Gh Nabi Lone Hajura, Hon’ble Minister; Naeem Akhter Hon’ble Minister; Asiea Naqash Hon’ble Minister; Syed M Altaf Bukhari, Hon’ble MLA; Mohd Ashraf Mir, Hon’ble MLA; Noor Mohd Sheikh, Hon’ble MLA; Abid Hussain Ansari, Hon’ble MLA; Anjum Fazilli, Hon’ble MLA; Mohammad Khurshid Alam , Hon’ble MLC and District President Srinagar, Saifudin Bhat, Hon’ble MLC; Muntazir Mohiudin , District President Budgam; Bashir Ahmad Mir, District President Ganderbal; Qazi Mohammad Afzal , Waheed ur Rehman Parra, Youth President; Senior Leader; Dr Mohd Shafi Wani, Senior Leader, Ab Hameed Kosheen, Senior Leader; Er Nazir Yatoo, Senior Leader; Zone Presidents, Mudasir Amin Khan, Ali MOhd Wani, Showkat Ahmad Bhat, Ab Rehman, Mohd Jaffar Lone, Bashir Ahmad, Mohd Shafi Mir, Abul Hassan Bhat, Ab Hamid Dar, Mohd Ashraf Dar, Shakeel Ahmad and Zahoor Ahmad were also present in the meeting. (KNS)

  • After BOSE says ready to listen Students submit Representations

    Students submit representations, citing reasons, to demand deferment of exams till March 2017

    Srinagar: A day after Board of School Education authorities said that it is ready to listen to the “genuine grievances and demands” of students, scores of students Monday submitted representations in BOSE, urging it defer planned exams till March 2017.
    The students have cited various reasons in their representations, for seeking deferment of examinations for class 10 and class 12.
    “It is not only passing of examinations that we are studying for. We want to attain education and knowledge, clear basic concepts of the particular topics, that will help us in higher classes to understand advanced chapters,” reads one of the representations, submitted by one of the student groups.
    Another group of students told KNS that they also visited BOSE office today to submit a representation. “We didn’t find there anyone. We will visit it again tomorrow to submit it,” they said.
    Students, in their representation have mentioned that “Concession is not solution as it would only reduce number of topics to be covered for examination. However, in contemporary world, the real power lies in having clear concept of basics. Therefore, students should be given more time, till March 2017, so that they would attain knowledge and will sit in examination in March without any hesitation.”
    Another group of students have urged BOSE authorities to consider the fate of those students who are presently lodged in various police stations or detained under public safety act.
    “You (BOSE authorities) are aware about the prevailing situation. You know that hundreds of school going children, including students of class 12 and class 10 have been maimed and blinded in forces action,” it reads.
    “It is in the interest of students at large that you defer exams till March 2017 so that those injured students have time to recover from injuries and sit in exams while those in different jails could get bail from courts,” it adds.
    BOSE chairman didn’t respond to the repeated calls to have comments on the matter.
    However, one of the officials, wished not to be named, said he was unaware about submission of any representation by the students.
    “If there is any such representation, the authorities would look into that,” he added. (KNS)

  • Don’t compare oranges with apples: J&K Bank Chairman

    ‘Bank in difficult phase, but won’t stop recruiting people’

    Srinagar: Newly appointed Chairman and CEO of J&K Bank Parvez Ahmed today said there was no comparison between J&K Bank and other private banks expanding their base in the valley.

    He said this in reply to a question how he sees the competition between private banks coming to the valley and J&K Bank. He said, “Don’t compare oranges with apples,” he said.

    “The J&K Bank has a monopolic character and has dominance across the state. No bank can compete with us when it comes to our work,” he said.

    Parvez was addressing his first press conference as the J&K Bank top boss. He said the bank is passing one of the most worst and critical phases it has ever gone through, but hopes he has a team of capable people who know how to handle such situations. He said even if the bank continues to face different challenges in the form of increasing NPA, but it won’t stop recruitments.

    “We will continue employing people. We are the second largest employer in the state after the government. We will continue providing job opportunities to the qualified youth,” said Ahmed.

    He also revealed that they are seriously thinking over the inception of Islamic Banking, but for that they just need the nod from RBI.

    Ahmed admitted that there have been complaints coming about the “not good behavior of bank employees”, but added that in the days to come there will be visible changes on the ground even if for that they have to train their employees about how to deal with the customers. “If customers face such problems, they should immediately reach to us,” he said. (PTK)

     

  • China accuses India of double standards in the name of terror

    Beijing: In a veiled reference to India’s efforts to declare Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar as a terrorist, China on Monday said political gains should not be pursued in the name of counter terrorism.
    China also suggested that India was displaying “double standards”.

    “There should be no double standards on counter-terrorism. Nor should one pursue own political gains in the name of counter-terrorism,” China’s Vice Foreign Minister Li Baoding said here without naming India and Pakistan.
    He was speaking at an interaction with reporters ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s upcoming visit to India for the 8th BRICS summit in Goa.
    Last week, China again decided to extend “technical hold” to declare Pakistan-based JeM chief Masood Azhar – accused of plotting the Mumbai and Pathankot air base terror attacks – as a terrorist.

    Beijing earlier too scuttled India’s bid at the United Nations.

    On Azhar, China says India and Pakistan should have talks on the evidence which New Delhi which claims to have about his role in plotting the killings in India.

    On the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), Li said Beijing was ready to discuss New Delhi’s entry into the 48-member bloc.

    However, he reiterated China’s role alone was not decisive in admitting India into the elite grouping which regulates global nuclear trade.

    “These rules are not to be decided by China alone. On the issue, China and India have maintained good communication and we are ready to continue consultations with India to build consensus and we also hope India can go to other members of the NSG as well,” he said.

    In June, China opposed India’s bid to enter the NSG in its plenary in Seoul, saying India was not signatory to the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty.  IANS

  • Pampore attack: Omar Abdullah says militants don’t want Kashmiri youth to be self-reliant

    Srinagar: Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday hit out at militants for targeting the Entrepreneurship Development Institute (EDI), saying the ultras don’t want young Kashmiri boys and girls to stand on their feet.

    “All the EDI ever did was to train young Kashmiri boys and girls to stand on their own feet and not seek government jobs. Militants don’t like that!” Omar tweeted.

    The militants on Monday attacked the EDI building in Pampore for the second time this year with the first attack taking place in February.

    “No wonder for the 2nd time this year they have attacked the institute.They want young Kashmiris to be subservient and bitter not self-reliant,” Omar added.

    Two to three militants are believed to have entered into the building of Entrepreneurship Development Institute (EDI) in the wee hours.

    Militants had targeted the EDI building in February this year as well.Two soldiers, including an officer, a civilian employee of the Institute and three militants were killed in that operation that lasted 48 hours. PTI

  • Day 94: Strict curfew in Srinagar, shutdown across Kashmir

    Srinagar: Authorities today clamped curfew in 11 police station areas of Srinagar as a precautionary measure in view of the eighth day of Muhurram, even as complete shutdown is being observed across the Kashmir valley.
    A police official said the police station areas in which the curbs on the movement of people have been imposed are Nowhatta, Khanyar, Rainawari, Safakadal, Maharaj Gunj, Maisuma, Ram Munshi Bagh, Kralkhud, Shaheed Gunj, Karan Nagar and Batamaloo.

    The traditional Muharram procession used to pass through these areas, but has been banned since eruption of militancy in 1990.
    Meanwhile, normal life remained affected for the 94th consecutive day in the rest of the Valley following killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in an encounter with forces on July 8.

    The unrest, which has claimed 94 lives and left thousands of others injured, is in its fourth month as shops, business establishments, petrol pumps and educational institutions remained closed, while public transport continued to be off the roads. PTI

  • Militants Used Boat To Get To Pampore Building Near Srinagar: Sources

    Srinagar: A group of two or three Militants is firing at security forces from inside a government institute in Pampore, 15 km from Srinagar, the capital of Jammu and Kashmir. An army soldier is reported injured. Parts of the building suffered damages in a fire.

    The information being shared here is delayed so as not to jeopardize the security forces fighting the Militants.

    The Militants entered the building, which was also targeted in a major attack in February, at 6:30 am. The seven-storey building has more than 50 rooms.

    Sources said that Militants who broke into the institute in the morning approached the campus on the outskirts of Srinagar through boats on the River Jhelum, which flows in Pakistan. The Militants then set sections of the Entrepreneurship Development Institute (EDI) hostel building on fire to lure security forces. When they arrived, a major gunbattle broke out. Explosions were heard since the morning.

    “We are confident of neutralising the Militants as soon as possible,” an army officer supervising the operation said.

    Intel agencies have been warning of terror attacks in retaliate on for the surgical strikes conducted by India across the Line of Control two weeks ago. Soldiers raided staging areas in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir where Militants were waiting to cross the border and attack major cities, the army has said.

  • Pampore: EDI building cordoned off after militants open fire, take position inside

    Srinagar: An unspecified number of militants have barged into the multi-level Hostel of the Entreprnuership Development Institute (EDI) at Pampore. In an earlier attack, the EDI lost its main building to a few days of encounter.

    Informed sources told that one of the officials of the EDI detected smoke in the hostel early morning. As he tried to extinguish the fire, the militant presence was detected that, by now, has led to the cordon and establishment of contact between the army and the militants.

    The EDI official who normally stays put in the EDI guest house, the small three-story building between the main complex that was damaged earlier and the Hotel that is right now under attack, barely survived the attack when he went to manage the top floor fire.

    Director EDI Dr M I Parray told that he got a phone call from his staffer at around 6 am, saying that there was short circuit and he was on way to manage the resultant fire in the building. “I drove to EDI and reached by 6.30 am and by then it was established that militants had barged in and taken positions,” a shocked Dr Parray said. “Then army and police came and we were advised to leave.”

    The official who detected the infiltration said that when he rushed to the top floor of the hostel to extinguish the fire he saw all the sofas and furniture jumbled at a place – blocking the main staircase – that indicated it was deliberate. “I had rang up the SHO Pampore telling him that a fire tender was required,” the official said, “After detecting the state of furniture on top floor, I rang him up again asking him that it was not short circuit but it was man-made as somebody is inside.”

    By the time fire tenders reached and the official moved out of the building, militants had fired a couple of shots towards him. “It was a miraculous escape but I believe they had lit the fires to get the attention,” the official said, “The smoke stopped coming out soon after.”

    By around 8 am, encounter had started and initial reports suggest that one soldier has received a bullet injury. The building is surrounded by all sides by the armed forces.

    Police officials contacted on phone said they would talk only after they get the details.

    After the main building was destroyed by the last Fadayeen attack, the EDI had shifted its office to this very building. Now its records and everything it rebuilt is again in danger.

  • Prof Amitabh Mattoo conferred the “Honoris Causa” Doctor of Science by Hindustan University

    “Academicians should contribute their bit in education sector”

    CHENNAI: The Advisor to Chief Minister , Prof. Amitabh Mattoo was conferred the degree of  “Honoris Causa” Doctor of Science by Hindustan University at its convocation ceremony in Chennai.

    “Honoris Causa” Doctor of Science was conferred to Prof. Amitabh Mattoo, Dr. Sekhar Basu , Chairman Atomic Energy Commission of India, and  Dr RK Tyagi President-elect Aeronautical Society of India.

    Dr Elizabeth Verghese, Chancellor, Hindustan University, Dr Anand Jacob Verghese, Pro-Chancellor and Dr S. RamaChandran, Vice Chancellor of Hindustan University were also present on the occasion.

    The award of Doctorate of Science was presented to Professor Amitabh Mattoo for his meritorious and outstanding achievements for his contribution to international relations, foreign policy and conflict resolution for inspiring the innovative efforts to build intuition excellence in India and abroad, besides his role in strengthening India’s relations with several countries and his laudable contribution in education and public life.

    Graded  “A” by NAAC with a 3.3 score, Hindustan University,  is one of the most prestigious Universities in Tamil Nadu and known for its excellence in Science, Technology and Engineering.

    Professor Mattoo is currently the advisor to Chief Minister of Jammu & Kashmir with the status of a Cabinet Minister.

    In his address, Prof. Mattoo while expressing his thanks to the governing body of Hindustan University for conferring the “Honoris Causa” Doctor of Science, he said that it is a matter of great honour to receive an honorary Doctorate.

  • Junaid’s funeral brought back painful memories of May 21, 1990: Hurriyat (M)

    Srinagar: Hurriyat (M) said that the trigger-happy and blood-thirsty government forces on Friday evening by use of killer pellets martyred the 12-year-old student, Junaid Ahmad Aakhoon of Saidpora, Eidgah snatching away the only son of his parents and the only brother of three sisters.
    On the funeral procession of Junaid to Eidgah, the cantankerous government forces rained tear smoke shells and pellets and bullets at them, leaving dozens of civilians injured. This brought back painful memories of May 21, 1990 when Kashmir’s beloved leader Mirwaiz Moulvi Muhammad Farooq’s funeral procession was fired at in a similar way, resulting in the killings of 70 mourners and injuries to hundreds of others. For the subjugated people of Kashmir history of oppression and suffering keeps repeating itself each day.
    In a statement issued to KNS, Hurriyat (M) said though the All Party delegation of Indian parliamentarians who visited Kashmir had strongly recommended to Government of India, In clear terms that the use of lethal pellet guns, which has left thousands of Kashmiris injured, blinded, maimed and handicapped, should be banned forthwith yet the government of the day at war with the people finds that while it is not fit to be used on animals it is fit to be used on defiant Kashmiri’s.
    The statement condemned the PDP-BJP coalition government for prohibiting mourners from carrying out Muharam-ul-Haram processions. The spokesman said it is deplorable they while on one hand Muharram ul haram processions are prohibited on the other hand, right wing RSS activists are facilitated to take out ” path Sanchalans “(march pasts)and ” Shastra Pujans” in the entire Jammu division during dussehra celebrations.
    The amalgam expressed strong resentment and concern over the arrest spree across the state in which an unprecedented number of more than 7000 people have been arrested so far. The spokesman said that in the last week alone more than 450 people have been arrested and shifted to jails outside Kashmir.
    Hurriyat Conference made it clear that by imposing curfew, restrictions and curbs and continuing the arrest spree, the government would not be able to break the will and resolve of either the resistance leadership or the people of Kashmir, who had decided not to rest until they get their just right to self determination. (KNS)