Category: Union Territory

Said Dr Farooq will consider views of party activists ahead of pre-poll pact

Srinagar: Maintaining that NC president Dr Farooq will taken into consideration the views of the party men before entering into any pre-poll pact with the Congress, senior NC leader and a former parliament member Dr Mehboob Beg Tuesday remarked that reshuffle within NC would be a vital step to rebuilt peoples’ trust.

Beg told KNS that the party has reserved its decision on any pre-poll alliance with the state Congress for the forthcoming polls and that the same shall be taken by the party president himself. “It is the president that is authorized to take final call over the pre-poll pact issue. But at the same time I can assure you that the views of the ground level workers and activists shall be taken into account before making the decision final.”

He stated that the people of Jammu and Kashmir through the recently held polls expressed anger against the party and that much hard work is needed so that the trust could be rebuilt. “We have to take people friendly measures so that we could achieve fleet during the assembly elections. The leaders must understand that the polls for the state assembly are not going to be a calk walk for us.”

Over the reports of the reshuffle within the ruling national conference, Beigh stated that when people have made the party to taste defeat, it has to in return take steps that would give a signal that the party has taken note of its recent debacle. “It is the high time that NC must introspect and come up in open with the steps that could make the party to register triumph in the coming time.”

Beg recently hit headlines when he leveled serious allegations against finance minister Abdul Rahim Rather, accusing him of facilitating “backdoor entries” of his own people in Jammu and Kashmir Bank and snubbing party members in District Development Board (DDB) meetings.

“I am told that there have been numerous appointments in J&K Bank at the behest of Abdur Rahim Rather,” Beg told reporters in Sarnal , after commemorating the 32nd death anniversary of his father and NC leader Mirza Muhammad Afzal Beg. He said most of the appointees come from Rather’s home constituency of Chrar-e-Sharif. “Providing employment to youth is good but there should have been appointments from Anantnag as well,” he said. Admitting that there was PDP wave during parliamentary elections in the Valley, Beg said, “We must introspect reasons of defeat and voters’ alienation from our party.”

Srinagar: As the BJP put forth its demand to abolish the two flag system in Jammu and Kashmir, the same has found little significance in the pro-freedom camp with the amalgam led by Syed Ali Geelani terming it as a ‘non-issue’.

How could this be a topic of debate in Kashmir, it has nothing to do with the real issue of Jammu and Kashmir, said Huriyat Conference (G) chief spokesman Ayaz Akbar, adding that the moves can in no way deter the ongoing resistance camp in Kashmir.

He further told KNS that the plough with the three lines and the tricolor are the two faces of the same coin- both ‘occupying’ the disputed state of Jammu and Kashmir. “Let it be the new debate among other circles, for us having this flag or abolishing the same must not be a worry among the pro-freedom camp of valley,” maintained Akbar.

Senior leader Huriyat Conference JK Shabir Shah castigated the policies of the BJP led government- stating that its agenda has always been anti-Kashmir since its inception and that the people of Jammu and Kashmir must understand the hidden policies of the party that could perturb the Himaliyan region further. “BJP at one time comes up with the promise to scrap Article 370, then the permanent settlement of refugees. Also it came up with the idea of providing separate homeland to our pandit brothers. Now when the two flag system is being demanded to be abolished. People must differentiate between friends and foes at this crucial juncture of History,” Shah stated.

Pertinently ,BJP MP from Uttarakhand Tarun Vijay on Monday  demanded in Rajya Sabha that two flag system be abolished in Jammu and Kashmir and the last diary of Dr Shyama Prasad Mookerjee (whose birth anniversary was observed by BJP top brass on July 6 in Parliament) be traced and returned to his family.

In a special mention in the Parliament today, Tarun Vijay said, “Dr Shyama Prasad Mookerjee was a great statesman and national leader who sacrificed his life for national integration and social unity. He breathed his last under mysterious circumstances on June 23, 1953 in a jail at Srinagar. No enquiry was done. His last diary, which he used to keep meticulously, was never returned to his family by the then J&K government. After his sacrifice the permit system to enter J&K was abolished and the nomenclatures of Wazir-e-Azam and Sadr-e- Riasat were changed to the Chief Minister and the Governor. But, still the two flag system remains in operation in J&K. I demand the government must abolish the two flag system for J&K and allow only Indian National tricolour for their state as is applicable in all other Indian provinces.”

He also demanded that a suitable memorial be erected in the memory of Dr Mookerjee in Srinagar and a plaque be established at the place where he was jailed and he went to his heavenly abode. He also demanded that Dr Mookerjee’s last diary be retrieved from J&K government.

‘Will always abide by my party directive’  

Srinagar: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader and MLA Rajpura Syed Bashir on Tuesday said the nomination of Dr Haseeb Drabu as party’s candidate from his constituency for upcoming assembly elections has created a devil and the deep sea situation for him.

“I don’t know what to do. On the one side I cannot overrule party decision as I hold Mufti Saheb and Mehbooba Ji in high esteem and on the other I don’t feel myself in a position to control my committed workers who have shown serious reservations over party’s decision,” Bashir told KNS.

In a candid confession, Bashir said that he was not taken on board by his party leadership while evolving consensus on Dr Drabu’s candidature. “I respect and hold Dr Drabu in high esteem as he is an experienced person and a visionary as well but on the other I am not able to face my voters in the constituency who till the last moment were preparing and strategizing poll preparations for my smooth win,” he added.

The PDP senior leader and former minister of state for PHE said that nomination of Dr Drabu’s as the party candidate from Rajpora was an ‘abrupt decision’ which has created ‘havoc’ in his constituency. “There is no doubt that I respect Mufti Saheb and Mehbooba Ji and am ready to sacrifice anything  for them and the party but at the same time I owe my people a lot. How can I ignore their feelings and aspirations?” Bashir stressed.

Bashir said that Mehbooba conveyed him the decision of nominating Dr Drabu from Rajpora and he told her that the party is free to take any decision and he will abide by all party directives. “I will abide by the party decision but also how can I ignore my people who have sacrificed everything for me in last 30 years of my political career.”

When asked whether he was contacted by any other political party especially PDP’s arch rival National Conference, Bashir said that no political party has approached him sofar. “The NC cannot afford to contact me and they know it. But somebody has posted me a text saying that with Drabu’s nomination Rajpora seat is now in NC’s kitty. I replied to him that till I am alive nothing will happen to PDP in my constituency. And God wiling I will make them (NC) to eat dust,” Bashir said.

He revealed that Drabu’s candidature has been decided in last minute changes to the list which had earlier included his name as the party candidate from Rajpora constituency.  Asked was he contacted by his party or will he approach them in near future, Bashir said that he will not approach party leadership unless they call him. “How can I approach them when I have not been called by them?” Bashir said while expressing his concern over the fate of his workers. “I am in a complete dilemma so are my workers who are restless since the party announced its list nominating Dr Drabu as the party candidate from Rajpora.

Omar, Vohra, Azad, Mufti, Soz, Mehbooba, Tarigami expressed shock

Srinagar: Nine persons died when a Tata Sumo bearing Registration number  JK17-840 meet with an accident near Potato farm at Sinthin top 70 kilometers from Kishtwar at National Highway resulting into the on-spot death of all the nine occupants traveling in the said departmental vehicle owned by the Sheep Husbandry Department.

Reports reaching KNS said at around 10:00 AM in the morning, the vehicle was on its way to Warwan via Sinthan top for organizing a special camp of the department to facilitate better Medicare to the live stock in the area when it skidded off the road and rolled down into deep gorge near Machrari Morh belt of tehsil Chatroo.

As the police received the information about the accident, a party from police station Chatroo, Medical team from PHC Chatroo, Veterinary team, Army personal from Chingam, local people and villagers rushed to the spot and shifted all the dead bodies to Primary Health Center Chatroo and District Hospital Kishtwar.

Later after completing the autopsy, police handed over the dead bodies of deceased to their relatives for last rites. As per police reports, all nine dead have been identified as Dr Mohd Rafiq Akhoon District Officer Sheep Husbandry Kishtwar (DSHO) Son of Sanavullah Akhoon (57) Resident of Kishtwar, Dr Amir Kamal Veterinary Assistant Surgeon (VAS) Son of Ghulam Nabi Kamal (30) Resident of Kishtwar, Abdul Rehman Son of Lassa Reshi (58) Resident of Chatroo, Irshad Ahmed Son of Ghulam Mohammad Wani (42) Resident of Sheri Chatroo, Satlal Sharma Son of Gosawamu Ram (40) Resident of Berabhatta Kishtwar, Ghulam Ahmed Son of Mohd Ramzan (58) Resident of Mullar Chingam, Darshan Kumar Assistant Stockman Son of Munshi Ram (52) Resident of Samba Jammu, Abdul Kareem Son of Ghulabo (26) Resident of Balana Sigdi and Rakesh Kumar Son of Prem Nath (40 ) Resident of Loidhar.

Those who have condoled the demise of nine passengers include Omar Abdullah, N N Vohra, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Prof Saiffudin Soz, Mehbooba Mufti, M Y Tarigami. G A Saroori and Sajjad Kitchloo.

Srinagar: Srinagar police has launched a special drive against beggars who have swarmed the city these days causing annoyance to the general public, a police statement said.

“On the directions of SSP Srinagar, Amit Kumar city police launched a special drive against the beggars. So far police has arrested 37 local and non local beggars,” the statement informed.

A number of public delegations had apprised SSP Srinagar about the mushroom growth of beggars in city who create nuisance at public places and places of worship. The menace of begging is assuming alarming proportions in city and other districts.

“All the arrested beggars were produced before the local magistrates under Jammu and Kashmir Beggary Act, 1960 who have ordered their push back to their native places,” the statement added.

New Delhi: A demand to abolish the two-flag system in Jammu and Kashmir was raised in Rajya Sabha on Monday by a BJP member.
The demand came through a Special Mention from Tarun Vijay who also insisted that the one-flag system was needed to maintain the unity and integrity of the country. “I demand that the government should abolish the two-flag system in Jammu and Kashmir and there should be only one-flag system,” he said.
Vijay also demanded establishment of a memorial for Syama Prasad Mookherjee in Srinagar who died there fighting for the cause of the country’s unity. K P Ramalingam (DMK) demanded setting up of safety measures at the vital installations of oil and natural gas industries.
Motilal Vora (Cong) asked the government to send a central team of experts to study and advise Chhattisgarh on the problem of drinking water in Rajnandgaon. Mansukh Mandaviya (BJP), R lakshmanan (AIADMK) and Satyanarayan Jatiya (BJP) also raised separate issues.

Srinagar: A Mumbai court Monday awarded life sentence to a Kashmiri watchman earlier convicted of murdering and molesting a woman lawyer, Pallavi Purkayastha, reports said.

Sajjad Aziz Pathan alias Mogal, 23, who hails from Uri in north Kashmir’s Baramullah district, worked at the Himalayan Heights apartments when he ‘stabbed to death’ the 25-year-old woman Aug 9, 2012. The victim was the daughter of a senior bureaucrat couple.

According to reports, last week, Sessions Judge Vrushali Joshi pronounced Mogal guilty and said that “a case of murder, molestation and criminal trespass has been proved” against him.

Meanwhile, the parents of the youth alleged that their son was fabricated in a false case and has been punished because he is a Kashmiri.  “He is a Kashmiri and that is why he has been awarded lifer,” his parents told GNS.

“Last year in Chillai Kalan we went there in last time. We asked everything him and also scolded him. But he told us that ‘they are accusing me only because I am a Kashmiri’. We trusted him,” his father, Abdul Aziz Mughal said.

Aziz said he went there twice to meet his son in prison. “He told us that his (lawyer’s friend) used to fight with him. He also told us that on the night when she was murdered he was at his home and the police arrested him at Haji Peer Shrine’,” he said.

On being asked whether they would appeal in High Court, the parents of the youth said: “We are very poor. We don’t have money. Sometimes, we don’t have money even for food.” “I have literally begged before lawyer to fight case of my son. I told him I can’t pay anything and somehow he agreed,” his father said.

“Only Allah would do justice with us,” visibly broken, Sara Begum, his mother, said.

Srinagar: Hurriyat Conference (M) Chairman, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has stressed upon the Muslim Ummah, especially youth to not only devote their time towards reading the Quran in this holy month of Ramdaan but also emulate its teachings so that it is easy for us to build a welfare society based on higher Islamic and social values.

According to a statement issued to KNS, while addressing a large gathering at Masjid Ali Saani RathPora , Mirwaiz expressed concern over surfacing of social evils and tearing apart of the social fabric. He stated that the fight against social menace, drug addiction and other ills cannot be won unless and until there is contribution from every conscious individual towards that end.

APHC Chairman stated that Ramdhaan is providing an opportunity to people to fulfill their religious duties and also to talk about their social problems. He stated in this holy month, there was a need that every individual should realize its responsibilities towards bringing in reforms in society and work towards imparting values based on Islamic principles. Apart from their social and religious duties, Mirwaiz stated that people should protect their priceless sacrifices which they offered for right to self determination till the struggle reaches its logical conclusion.

APHC Chairman stated that it was the prime priority of Hurriyat that Kashmir issue should be solved according to the wishes and aspirations of people. He stated that Hurriyat would continue with its peaceful struggle on political and diplomatic fronts to achieve the cherished goal of freedom.

Srinagar: Hundreds PDP activists and supporters of Member Legislative Assembly (MLA) Syed Bashir Ahmad Monday stage protest demonstration against the party high command for giving mandate to Dr Haseeb Drabu, the former JK Bank Chairman, from Rajpora assembly constituency.

Reports reaching GNS said that the workers of PDP sitting MLA, Syed Bashir Ahmad today held a protest demonstration near the Deputy Commissioner’s office in Pulwama. The activists also block the Shopian –Pulwama road for hours, demanding high command to revisit its decision and give ticket to syed Bashir from Rajpora.

The activists said that if the party high command will not review the decision then they will start anti-PDP campaign throughout the district. “We warn the party President get the decision back immediately otherwise face the consequences”, the activists said.

When contacted MLA Syed Bashir Ahmad told GNS that he cannot stop his workers from protesting and it was their right. The MLA also said that he was not aware about the new development that party high command will give mandate to Drabu.

“The party high command has not taken me under confidence regarding the decision”, the MLA said, adding that it was party’s decision and it is their right whom they choose.

Pertinently, Drabu had joined PDP few days ago.

Srinagar: Special police team on Tuesday recovered the bodies of three persons from Sinthan Top forests in Kokernag area of south Kashmir’s Anantnag district.

A police official told GNS that the team who was deputed to Fimbri Behak, the forest area near Sinthan Top in the district following the information about the lying of three bodies in the area. “On Monday late evening the police team recovered the bodies of three persons”.

He identified the deceased as Bashir Ahmad Kasana, his wife Zareena and their daughter Nazia Bashir of Reasi.

All the bodies were handed over to the police party who too has reached to the area near Sinthan Top from Reasi district. “The Sinthan Top divides the Kishtwar, Reasi with the Anantnag forests”.

Meanwhile sources had told GNS that the trio might have died due to lightning or snow avalanche last year.