Category: Union Territory

Srinagar: A 12-year-old boy, who was hit by pellets in Saidpora area of Eidgah on Friday evening, has succumbed to his injuries at SK Institute of Medical Sciences Soura early Friday.
Junaid Ahmad, son of Ghulam Ahmad, was shifted to the hospital with life-threatening injuries last evening where he passed away at 4 am today, family sources said.

He had sustained injuries in his head and chest and was admitted in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the hospital.
The minor was injured when forces fired pellets and teargas shells at demonstrators in the Eidgah area after Friday prayers.

Srinagar: A policeman died while another was injured after militants attacked a police post in south Kashmir’s Shopian district on Friday night.

Reports said that militants fired at the cops who tried to repulse their rifle-snatching bid at minority police post in Reshnagri area of the district.

A cop died in the shoot-out while another was injured, they said.

‘BJP is defending indefensible’

Jammu: National Conference on Friday assailed the justification being offered by the Bharatiya Janata Party over permission granted to lathi-wielding RSS volunteers to take out march in the sensitive Doda, ignoring the ramifications of such activities to incite passions, especially at a time when Jammu and Kashmir is passing through difficult times due to wrong policies of the present dispensation.
“BJP is defending indefensible”, a Spokesperson of National Conference said while reacting to the statement of the ruling coalition partner, saying that instead of taking serious initiatives to generate an atmosphere of trust and tranquility, the ruling coalition seems to be adamant to vitiate it by such provocative acts.
Referring to the charge that National Conference was attempting to communalize the situation, the Spokesperson observed that “it is like kettle calling the pot black”. He said history stands testimony to the fact that National Conference has all along braved most turbulent winds to maintain communal harmony and regional unity. “We are committed to preserve this glorious ethos of the state, no matter how many sacrifices are needed to be offered”, he said, adding that the party will not allow myopic political players to disturb the peace and tranquility. (KNS)

‘People won’t give up on their just right of right to self determination’

Srinagar: Hurriyat (M) Friday expressed strong resentment over prohibiting people from offering Friday congregational prayers at the historic Jamia Masjid in Srinagar for the 13th consecutive week by imposing curfew, restrictions and curbs on their movement and stopping the Hurriyat (M) Chairman, Mirwaiz Dr. Moulvi Muhammad Umar Farooq from performing his religious obligations with his continued incarceration.
Hurriyat (M) said massive protest demonstrations were staged across Kashmir against the government for disallowing Friday congregational prayers at Jamia Masjid Srinagar and other major Masjids for the past 13 weeks and continued house detention and arrest of the Hurriyat (M) Chairman for the past three months.
Meanwhile, a Hurriyat member and senior leader of Jammu Kashmir Awami Action Committee, Muhammad Shafi Khan while addressing a large Friday gathering at a Masjid in Nawab Bazaar said the killings and injuries, oppression and suppression, human rights violations and interference in religious rights of the people and prohibiting Friday congregational prayers at Jamia Masjid Srinagar and other major Masjids and continued incarceration of Mirwaiz-e-Kashmir were unacceptable and condemnable.
Expressing shock and resentment over the fact that whichever so-called government assumes power in Jammu Kashmir, it first targets Kashmir’s historic and religious centre of Jamia Masjid, Srinagar, the Hurriyat (M) said this was done to weaken its religious, social and political importance.
The conglomerate said by doing so, the government would neither be able to force the people or the Hurriyat (M) Chairman to give up on their just right of right to self determination nor reduce the historic, religious, social and political importance of the pulpit of Jamia Masjid Srinagar wherefrom Mirwaiz-e-Kashmir highlights the voices of the voiceless people of Kashmir and trampling of their social, religious and political rights.
After the Friday prayers, a massive protest march was staged from the Nawab Bazaar Masjid in which people raised slogans calling for the immediate release of the Mirwaiz, other resistance leaders and thousands of other youth.
Condemning the government for yet again sabotaging the ‘UN March’ call given by the unified resistance leadership, Hurriyat (M) said the idea behind calling repeated marches to the UN office was to make the world body realize its legal and moral responsibility to help resolve Kashmir issue as per the resolutions passed by it keeping the wishes and aspirations of Kashmiris in mind and take meaningful steps to stop the bloodshed of Kashmiris as the UN had remained silent over it since 1947.
Meanwhile, an Hurriyat (M) spokesman expressed gratitude to the people of Kashmir for taking the ongoing uprising into the fourth month, and said consistency, resolve, and connect of the resistance leadership with the people was a guarantee for taking the resistance struggle to its logical conclusion.

Srinagar: Lift ban on Kashmir Reader sooner the better, Journalists based in Kashmir asked J&K Government on Friday.

An English newspaper published from summer capital of J&K, Kashmir Readerwas asked to cease publication on Oct 2^nd 2016 by Deputy Commissioner Srinagar. Government has said that “publication of Kashmir Reader can disturb peace”.

It is fourth consecutive day today that Kashmir Reader did not publish, however, Journalist fraternity working for Kashmir and outside media continued their protest against “undemocratic” ban.

Unlike past three days, Journalists holding placards held a silent sit-in protest in Mushtaq Ali Enclave (Press Colony) in Lal Chowk. For last three days, scribes also took out solidarity marches in summer capital. The placards and banners sought lifting on ban on publication of the English newspaper which first hit Kashmir markets in May 2013.

It is first in Kashmir media history that such a step was taken by any government.

Speaking to reporters after the protest demonstration, senior Journalist Riyaz Masroor said, “press is an important pillar in a democracy and if rights of such an important institution are taken away, it means the democracy is demeaned.”

Masroor asserted that the way Kashmir media has safeguarded the democracy no one else has did. “We see in Legislative assemblies when members have difference of opinion (in passing or opposing a bill), they resort to violence, break benches and micro-phones and then these actions are justified in guise of strengthening the democracy and they have a constitutional provision.”

He said, “banning the newspaper and saying it is not popular itself means that the voice of Kashmir Reader has not gone well with those at the helm of affairs.”

Referring to silent sit-in protests against the ban on Kashmir Reader by scribes for last four days, he said that Kashmiri Journalists are putting forth their demands in a disciplined way. “If such ban was imposed anywhere else, media personnel would have come out on roads raising slogans.”

The senior Journalist suggested lifting the ban sooner the better. “Keeping in view the silent protests, government should lift the ban as soon as possible,” he said, “lest the silent protests will emerge as a big voice (against the ban).”

Meanwhile, speaking for the first time on the ban on the publication of Kashmir Reader, J&K Government spokesperson, Naeem Akhtar, said, “only one newspaper has been banned out of 500 hundred newspapers (published from Kashmir).”

Without naming the newspaper, he told BBC, “there were evidences and complaints against the particular newspaper being received for some time now.” “Not being so popular, the paper would publish only two-three thousand copies and the decision (to ban) was taken by District Commissioner,” he added.

Responding to the question from BBC, Akhtar said that there was “no ban at all” on publication of newspapers in Kashmir in recent times.

Srinagar: The construction on the holy shrine of Hazrat Peer Dastgeer Sahib (RA) at Khanyar in Srinagar will be completed by coming January.

Minister for Public Works and Parliamentary Affairs, Abdul Rehman Veeri fixed the deadline during a review meeting of the status of construction works going on in different shrines across Kashmir valley, an official spokesperson said this evening.

The joint meeting of officials of Waqaf Board, J&K Housing Board and JKPCC was attended by Commissioner Secretary Public works, Rohit Kansal, JKPCC Managing Director Er Daleep Thusu and other officers.

Veeri directed the officers to meet the deadlines of the undergoing projects and avoid cost escalation.

The officers informed the Minister that all the resources are being employed to complete the projects within stipulated time.

Reviewing the status of works on the shrine of Hazrat Peer Dastgeer Sahib (RA), the Minister was informed that the expansion on the southern side of shrine would accommodate more women devotees.

In order to save the shrine from any future eventuality, the Minister directed the officers to use fire resistant material in the shrine.

Veeri also took a detailed review of on-going construction at revered shrine of Sheikh Noor-u-din Noorani (RA) in Chrar-i-Sharief and asked the officers to chalk out a time bound plan to complete it.

The Minister impressed upon the officers of J&K Housing Board to explore ways of auction of shops in shopping complex overlooking the Chrar-i-Sharief shrine which is presently under construction.

The Minister also took stock of the construction works of historical shrine of Hazrat Zanu-din Wali (RA) at Aishmuqam Islamabad.

Regarding the Dargah Hazratbal shrine, Veeri impressed upon the Waqaf Board authorities to accelerate the release of funds to JKPCC for speedy completion of construction by December this year.

The Minister lauded the efforts of officers for work on Naqashbandh Sahab shrine within the stipulated time.

‘If detention of separatists is required to maintain law and order, we will do that’

Srinagar: Rejecting the reports of any alarming increase in the militant numbers in Kashmir Valley, police chief on Friday said there have been some cases of infiltration this year however reports of locals joint militant ranks are wrong.
Taking to KNS, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir Syed Javaid Mujtaba Gillani while reacting to the reports of locals at alarming numbers in South Kashmir joining militancy said that there have been no such inputs available. “No, there aren’t any such reports. It would be wrong to say that locals have joined the militant ranks at alarming pace,” IGP said.
He however added that this year there were cases reported of increase in the infiltration along the LoC but here too the numbers haven’t gone up. “Police is capable of containing the situation. The situation indeed isn’t alarming at all,” Gilani told KNS.
Commenting over the present situation in Kashmir Valley that has been reeling under constant strikes for past 90 days, Gilani said that the police have succeeded in pacifying the situation on ground and restored law and order. He added that the Police have a detailed list of ‘trouble mongers’ who have been vitiating the atmosphere in Valley and “we will go after them wherever they escape.” “Police have detained the involved and wherever we find anyone disturbing the law and order- we will act,” he said.
Over the detention and house arrests of the separatist leaders including Hurriyat Hawk Syed Ali Geelani, IGP said that the utmost priority for the police is to restore law and order in Kashmir valley and whatever steps are required to be taken in this regard shall be taken at an earliest. “As I told you, we will do everything that can restore peace in Valley and provide sigh of relief to the people. If it requires the arrest of the separatist elements, we will do that,” Gilani said. (KNS)

“Prerogative of Mehbooba to decide time, selection”