Category: Union Territory

“Yasin Sahib who has been put in solitary confinement in extremely shabby conditions at Humhama has grown very weak. Last week at Khyber hospital his medical tests came out dangerously alarming. Today his personal doctor Sajad Reshi Sahib examined him and advised many checkups regarding his heart, kidney and other ailments. Yasin Sahib’s kidney stone has enlarged risking his kidney function severely,” the spokesperson said.
“Medical tests regarding his heart ailment are also unsatisfactory and doctors at the hospital termed his overall health condition at high risk. He has been advised many medicines and also to follow up his medical tests after one week. After medical examinations, he was again shifted to JIC Humhama,” he said.

High Court grants 3 more months to CBI to conclude probe

The Jammu and Kashmir High Court on Tuesday granted three more months to Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to conclude the probe in multi-crore scam in Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association.
A division bench of Chief Justice N Paul Vasanthakumar and Justice Ali Muhammad Magrey granted three more months to CBI after the agency moved an application seeking more time for the probe.

In the application moved through additional SP Davinder Singh, the CBI pleaded that “no investigation could be carried out in the state due to imposition of continuous curfew”.
“Whatever progress was possible, it was done by carrying investigation in Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan,” CBI said.
The agency submitted that the “Bank accounts clandestinely opened and operated for siphoning of funds of JKCA have been traced and money glow chart has been prepared and concerned persons are being examined”.

On Mar 15, 2016, the High Court had granted three months to CBI to conclude the probe in multi-crore scam in Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association.
The CBI was handed over the investigation of the case after the court had pulled up J&K Police for carrying out the investigation in a casual manner.
“Despite a huge scam unveiled by Probe Committee in its interim report and not taking effective steps in recovering the swindled money coupled with the fact that one of the beneficiaries namely Aslam Goni indicted by the interim report has swindled amount exceeding rupees forty crores together with Ahsan Mirza and Saleem Khan who has served the State as advocate general in the former regime, rendered it imperative that investigation is transferred to CBI,” the court had said.
Two former cricketers—Majid Yaqoob Dar, a former Ranji Trophy player and Nissar Ahmad Khan—a club level cricketer—had filed a Public Interest Litigation before Jammu and Kashmir High Court and sought probe into the alleged multi-crore scam in JKCA.
In April 2014, the court had expressed its dissatisfaction over the pace of investigation and observed that the “compliance report with regard to investigation was a replica of earlier report filed in the case”.
Apart from high-level investigation, the petitioners sought directions for recovery of the money that has been allegedly swindled by former general secretary and former chief administrative officer.
On March 10, 2012 police had registered a case (FIR 27/2012) following a complaint from the then chairman JKCA, Muhammad Aslam Goni through a fax mentioning that as per the report of then treasurer, Manzoor Ahmad Wazir, bogus accounts on JKCA funds were being operated in the various J&K Bank branches by the ex-General Secretary and then Treasurer under their joint signatures. Goni had also alleged misappropriation of funds in JKCA. The scam surfaced in JKCA which is funded by Board of Control for Cricket in India.
A written complaint in this regard came to be lodged by some Members of the Working Committee of the Association regarding some bogus accounts run by previous office bearers—Muhammad Aslam Goni, Saleem Khan and Ahsan Mirza.

Pakistan 108 for 2 (Malik 43*, Williams 2-15) beat West Indies 103 for 5 (Samuels 42*, Imad 3-21) by eight wickets

Pakistan completed a 3-0 whitewash of West Indies with a comfortable eight-wicket win in Abu Dhabi that exposed the World T20 champions’ weaknesses in conditions not conducive to big hitting. Sent in to bat, West Indies stuttered to 103 for 5 in their 20 overs, failing to get into gear after losing three top-order wickets to Imad Wasim‘s non-turning left-arm spin.

Chasing less than six runs an over, Pakistan were never under pressure, especially after Jerome Taylor sprayed the new ball around in his first two overs, conceding four leg-side fours, a leg-side wide, and a set of leg-byes down to the fine leg boundary. Kesrick Williams, the debutant fast bowler, dismissed both openers in the sixth over of the innings, but Pakistan easily shrugged that setback aside as Babar Azam and Shoaib Malik steered them home with an unbroken partnership of 68 for the third wicket. Malik ended the match off the first ball of the 16th over, shovelling Carlos Brathwaite for a six over long-on.

When they won the World T20 earlier this year, West Indies only really struggled in two games, a narrow win against South Africa and a defeat to Afghanistan. Both games came in Nagpur, the venue with the largest outfield and most spin-friendly pitch of the tournament. Abu Dhabi’s outfield is even larger, and while its pitch didn’t offer much turn, it didn’t give the batsmen much bounce or pace to work with. This meant West Indies would need to look outside their usual T20 template to find a trustworthy run-scoring method.

They didn’t. By the start of the ninth over, three of their batsmen had been bowled by Imad’s stock in-ducker, and only one of them, Chadwick Walton, could claim mitigating circumstances. Having just come to the crease, he was undone by a back-of-a-length ball that crept through him at shin height.

The previous ball, knowing fully well the dangers of going across the line to an unfailingly stump-to-stump bowler on a pitch of low bounce, Johnson Charles had attempted a slog-sweep and missed. Then, Dwayne Bravo, having added 14 with Marlon Samuels in 21 balls, was bowled through the gate going for an open-faced sliced drive.

In typical T20 conditions, it is almost essential for batting teams to take such risks. In the specific circumstances of Tuesday’s game, West Indies needed a different approach. Perhaps they needed to peek into the Virat Kohli/MS Dhoni playbook, perhaps, and bunt the ball towards deep fielders and push for twos.

West Indies didn’t try that approach: they only ran nine twos in their 20 overs. Not coincidentally, Marlon Samuels, never the fleetest or most enthusiastic runner between the wickets, was at the crease for all but 2.3 overs of the innings. From the non-striker’s end, he also played a part in Andre Fletcher getting run out in the fifth over.

In the end, Samuels finished unbeaten on 42 off 59 balls, but he was by no means alone in struggling to up the tempo. Conditions are certainly not conducive to big hitting when Kieron Pollard ends up not out on 16 off 17 balls without hitting a boundary or a six.

A lot of this was down to Pakistan’s bowling. The spinners hit an awkward, short-of-good-length area and attacked the stumps, the ideal strategy for a pitch with low bounce, denying the batsman the opportunity to get on the front foot while also imperilling the horizontal-bat shots. The three left-arm seamers, including the debutant Rumman Raees, hit the same sort of length while constantly taking pace off the ball.

The few boundaries that came were off rare deliveries that offered a bit of swinging room: Samuels played a crisp front-foot cut off Imad, and pulled a too-short slower ball from Sohail Tanvir; Nicholas Pooran slog-swept Mohammad Nawaz into the grass banks, a shot that may have cleared the stadium roof in Sharjah.

Two balls later, West Indies were served another reminder of the difficulty of hitting big shots on this ground, as Pooran connected meatily with another big swing only to pick out deep midwicket.

Srinagar: AIP President and MLA Langate Er Rasheed has expressed surprise over army’s refusal of its any involvement in killing horses of nomads in Fresal Kulgam and said that while army has tried to bring open facts regarding the incident from it’s own perspective but may one ask the army as an institution that has its response been same when innocents have lost their lives at the brutal hands of army during different incidents.
In a statement issued to KNS, Er Rasheed said, “The army has every right to disown the allegations but may answer why didn’t army uttered even a single word when an innocent Waseem was martyred at the hands of army in Nadihal and another youth Danish Manzoor in Ladoora Sopore.
On both these occasions army preferred to keep mum rather saying sorry for murdering two precious human lives. The response of army spokesman on allegations of killing horses has proved yet again that Indians care much for animals rather Kashmiris. One has a right to say if army claims it’s non involvement in the incident, then who had killed the horses of poor nomads and security agencies are duty bound to give justice to nomads, so that their losses are compensated.”
He added that the incident has proved yet again that for every Indian blood of Kashmiris is even much thinner than that of animals. (KNS)

‘Stop politicizing education, our careers at stak’

Srinagar: Students of class 12 Tuesday said that qualifying examination is not only a concern but low percentage would make them ineligible to appear in competitive tests.
They demanded deferment of scheduled annual examination.
“We need to cover entire syllabus and to obtain satisfactory percentage to be eligible to appear in various competitive exams,” said a group of students of class 12.
They added that authorities have issued a date sheet, asking students to appear in annual tests in November.
“Our sessions began in March 2016. We have only covered forty percent syllabus. Our internal practical’s are pending. We are not in a position to qualify examinations,” Danish, a student told KNS.
The students said that to be eligible to appear in JEE competitive examinations, they need to have obtained seventy five percent marks in class 12 tests.
“There are various competitive examinations. Most of the students wish to qualify them to be a doctor or engineer or to be in other professions. If we fail to obtain required percentage and subsequently are ineligible to appear in these competitive tests, our careers would be at stake,” said Abid Ahmad, another student.
Students said that they need to complete entire syllabus and to prepare for examination. “Government shouldn’t force examinations on us to give semblance of normalcy. We urge government to not make our educational careers as point of their politics,” they said.
“We demand deferment of examinations. Authorities must consider that educational institutions and private tuition centres are closed from past three months now. Examinations cannot be conducted without imparting education to students,” they added.
Pertinently, Board of School Education (BOSE) have issued date sheet for both class 10 and class 12 students. The examinations are scheduled to commence in November, this year.
Naeem Akhtar, Education Minister had also said the examination of 10th and 12th classes will be held as planned. (KNS)

SRINAGAR: Days after the Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti directed party legislators and senior members to reach out to people, PDP Youth Wing president, Waheed-u-Rehman Parra Tuesday visited various areas in south Kashmir’s district Pulwama.

During his visit, he “interacted with various groups” of youth and sought cooperation for restoration of peace in Kashmir.

“Parra sought the cooperation from the youth to bring normalcy back in the valley,” said a PDP Youth wing spokesperson in a statement to KNS.

He added that Parra told the youth that government is “serious in resolving all the issues”. “He told them that dialogue is the only way to resolve all issues.”

“The visit of Parra was one of the positive steps to reach out people. Parra told the people in Pulwama that all Ministers and legislators want to visit areas and constituencies. However, due to present unrest, it is difficult to reach out to people,” it read.

“We had more than Rs 100 crore lying with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) when the scam came to light but later is adamant to release the money,” he said.

Eleven years after taking possession of 500 kanals of land for the construction of proposed International Cricket stadium in Bajalta area of Jammu, the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA) on Monday said that cricket body has no money to build one.
“Our account has been frozen since unearthing of multi-crore scam in 2012, we are running our day- to- day affairs with great difficulty, we don’t have money even for players, so it is unimaginable to start construction of stadium at this point,” Chairman JKCA, Mehboob Iqbal told.

“We had more than Rs 100 crore lying with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) when the scam came to light but later is adamant to release the money,” he said.
“We are not hiding anything, after 2012 fund scam, cricket in Jammu and Kashmir has suffer much,” he said, adding, “The scam dented our image, BCCI decided not to release any funds meant to spend for conducting of domestic activities or taking up development projects until culprits of the scam are not punished,” he said.
He said that the land, which has been allotted for the stadium has been found as flood prone and it is difficult to raise construction on that site.

“Don’t want to comment on working of successors but the land which they (then JKCA team) finalized was faulty and flood prone, which invites 60-70 crore more investment for construction of protection bunds in addition to project cost,” the chairman JKCA said, adding, “It’s our irony to start work but we don’t have money to take up the process of land identification”.
Pertinently, the foundation stone for the international stadium was to be laid on March 18, 2012.
Almost all arrangements were in place for the ceremony, but in the meantime multi-crore scam hit headlines after reports surfaced that said crores of rupees intended for promotion of the sport in the state was diverted to different accounts by JKCA office bearers with mala fide intention. Due to confusion and chaos within the state cricket body, work on the stadium failed to take off, which had given rise to a blame game.

Says Govt committed to address basic issue of Kashmir

Minister of Education, Naeem Akhtar, today said that government is not “simply doing anger management” in Kashmir but is committed to address the basic issue of Kashmir which cannot be brushed aside.
Akhtar was speaking at teachers’ conference at Women’s College M A Road, here.

“I assure you the situation will not remain same. And, once the situation normalizes, our government will take steps to address the basic issue,” Akhtar said.
Akhtar said the examination of 10th and 12th classes will be held as planned. He said he mourned the killing, blinding and maiming of children and equally mourned the “precious academic time that has been lost.”
“I am overwhelmed with a sense of defeat,” Akhtar said in an emotional tone. “These children who got killed don’t even know what they are doing. They are getting killed while running after a mirage. I am not able to help. I am immensely a helpless person,” he said.

Coming down on the resistance leaders for their “protest strategy”, Akhtar said, “There is no example in the world where a nation has empowered itself by inflicting harm on itself. What kind of strategy is this to fight a war? Here we are disempowering ourselves intellectually, economically and physically.”
“Those kids who should have been in schools are enforcing curfew in villages and cities,” he said.
Terming himself as one of the most “unpopular leaders” Akhtar expressed his disappointment about the disruption in academic calendar. “We should have been reaping the benefits of several initiatives which halted because of the disruptions. I find myself as a sorrowful man. I have achieved nothing,” he said.
“I know many of you must have issues with me. I get abused on social media and everywhere. This tragedy has broken my heart but not my courage. I will put forward my word so that it may find some resonance among you.”
Terming Syed Ali Shah Geelani as the “absolute head of resistance movement”, Akhtar in a surprising move asked the audience to read his Wullar Kinaray. “Everyone should read his (Geelani’s) book wherein he has documented his struggle right from early childhood. Despite immense hardships he never gave up the dream of education and the best of his days were spent as a teacher,” Akhtar said.
“Similarly, Mirwaiz too overcame his personal struggle and completed his PhD as an accomplished scholar. He never stopped his journey of education come what may.”
“I am firm believer that these leaders are not against education and it is some third unscrupulous element that has caused the disruption of education,” Akhtar said.
“It is somebody else who burns schools and exploits children by terming them as soldiers of freedom. Even our religion has kept children and women out of war.”
Akhtar said that education is coming back on rails and normal activities like teachers training will resume within a week. The conference was attended by hundreds of school and college teachers.

Police contest, say he was ‘heart patient and died of cardiac arrest’

Jalaluddin Wani of Nag Mohalla Awantipora, had come home from his duty three days ahead of Eid to celebrate the festival among his nears. But on Eid he died here allegedly by inhaling the smoke of the tear shells fired by forces.
His relatives say Jalaluddin died of suffocation caused by tear smoke shells fired by forces during clashes. However, according to police “he was a heart patient and died of cardiac arrest.”
Jalaluddin (48) was working in police department as Hawaldar and was posted at TRC Srinagar.
His story from the beginning was that of a tragedy. Jalaluddin had lost his father when he was a child. His mother had remarried when he was just 9.
Not married, Jalaluddin, according to his relatives, was living with his uncle.

According to his relatives, he had come home three days ahead of Eid to celebrate the festival. On the fateful day of September 13, he left home for Eid prayers. “Soon after the prayers, clashes broke out outside the mosque. Jalaluddin reached home in a state of nervousness complaining breathlessness and suffocation due to the tear smoke shells fired by the forces to quell the clashes,” his uncle Abdul Gani Wani said.
“We gave him some water, which he drank. We quickly rushed him to PHC Awantipora but he died on reaching the hospital,” he said.
Wani said that later the body was taken by hundreds of locals in a procession and put on the Highway as a mark of protest. “With body on the Highway, the people protested as it was evident that he had died of suffocation. Later, in the afternoon the body was taken to Pampore hospital for post-mortem”.
His cousin, Basheer Ahmad Wani said: “Jalaluddin was not a heart patient. He died due to suffocation caused by the shelling. He had inhaled smoke of tear shells and he informed us about it in the home.”
A doctor in Pampore hospital said: “We took the samples for the post-mortem but initially we have given the report as ‘probable cardio respiratory arrest’.”
However, he added that the actual cause of death “will be clear by the post mortem report.” (GK)
POLICE VERSION:
The police while denying the relatives’ version, said: “He was a heart patient and died only of cardiac arrest and not by smoke.”
“Jalaluddin had been admitted in the police hospital before Eid in Srinagar after suffering a minor heart attack. Later, he was advised to take rest and sent to home,” a top district police officer said.
“On September 13 he offered Eid prayers, and then went to home. Later, he had gone towards the mountains and after returning home he suffered a heart attack at around 12 noon and later died”.
“There is no reality in the blame that he died due to smoke but apparently he died of his heart ailment,” he said.

Teachers attend their duties; it is for parents to cooperate: Naeem Akhtar

Srinagar: Education Minister, Naeem Akhtar here on Monday categorically ruled out the possibility of any mass promotion of any examination in view of the current turmoil in Jammu and Kashmir and asked people to seek clarification from those who have shut twenty thousands government schools and several thousands of private schools across the state.
Talking to KNS, Akhtar said, Government on spot is providing all facilities including medical services, ration, electricity, LPG, cooking gas, water supply and all other services but it is only education which has become the target of the current unrest in Kashmir.
Clarifying that it is not the government who have closed the schools, Naeem said, “Government has made every kind of facility for the smooth functioning of schools but at the same time it is up to parents to take the benefits of the facility.”
Akhtar further said that the teachers are attending their duties and as such it is for the parents to cooperate. (KNS)