Category: Union Territory

Was scheduled to address people at Handwara

Srinagar: Senior Huriyat Conference JK leader Shabir Ahmad Shah was arrested on Sunday while on a way to address people at  North Kashmir’s Handwara area.

The HCJK spokesman in a party handout issued to KNS stated that as per program Hurriyat Conference Jammu Kashmir leader Shabir Ahmad Shah was scheduled to address a public gathering at Kralgund Handwara. As Shah was on way to the venue, he was prevented by police at Pattan from marching ahead and was arrested.

The spokesperson while condemning the arrest of Shabir Ahmad Shah lashed out at administration and termed the act as autocratic and dictatorial. “Those who claim to be the champions of democracy have no right to resort to undemocratic means and keep their political opponents away from political sphere,” he said, adding that the so-called government cannot break the resolve of freedom loving people by such means.

He said Shabir Ahmad Shah was to address the public gathering at Kralgund, Handwara and had to appeal people to stay away from upcoming assembly elections so as not to let the sacrifices of those 5 lac martyrs go waste who laid their precious lives for the freedom against the forcible occupation of India. According to spokesperson, the Freedom Party representatives of Handwara had made full arrangements for Shabir Ahmad Shah’s speech but got extremely disappointed as the so-called rulers arrested Shah on way.

However, Muhammad Yasin Ataai along with other companions by giving slip to police succeeded in reaching the venue. Ataai along with Peer Inaayat ullah and Abdul Waheed who were already present there addressed the gathering. In their speeches, the leaders urged people to give a befitting reply to such highhandedness of government by completely boycotting the upcoming assembly elections. “This was the message of Shabir Ahmad Shah Sahib to you,” the leaders said while addressing the public gathering.

Asks journalists to weed out negative propaganda against Kashmir

Srinagar: A 16-member delegation of journalists from Mumbai Press Club called upon Huriyat (M) Chairman Mirwaiz Dr. Molvi Mohammad Umar Farooq at his Nageen residence.

According to the statement issued to KNS, journalists representing prominent media organizations like PTI, HT, and others were among the delegates.

During his meet with the journalists, Mirwaiz stressed upon the visiting delegates to give prominent space and help in weeding out the negative propaganda promoted by the state among the Indian people regarding Kashmir in their respective media outlets. He told them Kashmir was neither a regional issue, nor a religious one, adding, it was a political and human issue which should be addressed in that particular context.

Mirwaiz stated that it was extremely unfortunate that government was spreading misleading information among people regarding Kashmir dispute and presenting it as a Pakistan sponsored problem. In reality, he told the visiting journalists that Kashmir issue was a living reality for which people have rendered innumerable sacrifices.

Huriyat (M) Chairman suggested journalists to meet common people in Kashmir to know their opinion, adding, they should try hard to know the realities attached to Kashmir dispute and present those very facets them before the people of India as they are.

Mirwaiz stated that change in government or faces have no bearing on Kashmir dispute. He stated that the need of the hour was that emotions and aspirations of Kashmiris should be considered and a realistic thinking and approach should be adopted to move forward and initiate a meaningful dialogue between India, Pakistan and Kashmiris to solve the vexed dispute.

Stressing that Kashmir were not against Indian people, Mirwaiz stated that they wanted economic progress in the region, adding, for that to happen, it was imperative to solve the Kashmir issue- a constant source of tension in South Asia.

Huriyat (M) Chairman further stated that civil rights of Kashmiri people have been usurped by the state. He said that religious, political and social activities of leaders have been restricted, adding, curfews, undeclared curfews, killings and rights violations are the order of day. He appealed the visiting journalists to deliver the duties professionally by highlight the human and political dimensions of the Kashmir ‘dispute’. 

‘Now Muslims are declared infidels Muslims’

Srinagar: Days after Chairman Huriyat Conference (M) Mirwaiz Umar Farooq stated that Kashmir society is being divided on sectarian lines under a planned conspiracy; Huriyat Conference led by Syed Ali Gelaani Sunday stated that the moves must be countered jointly by the Muslims at an earliest.

It is the most serious issue that the Kashmir society is witnessing at present, said Huriyat Conference (G) chief spokesman Ayaz Akbar, adding that deliberate attempts are being made by the agencies to divide Muslims of Kashmir at large. “We have to look into the crises and have to put our heads together to counter the same or else the situation could turn disastrous.”

He stated further that earlier the Kashmir society used to live in harmony with each other and the sectarianism was no where existent but from the past decade the crises of this nature is deepening wherein Muslims are being declared infidels by other Muslims and vice-versa. “The situation could be disastrous if not taken seriously. Geelani sahib earlier many times has raised concern over this dreadful trend emerging within the Kashmir society.”

He claimed further that the home ministry itself has assigned the task to some selected clerics here so that they could instigate sectarianism in Kashmir and also west is propagating hard to divide the Muslim society for the petty interests.

Pertinently, Mirwaiz recently had stated that mosques and Muslims are being divided in Kashmir under a planed conspiracy.

Srinagar: In the midst of holy month of Ramadan, people of central Kashmir’s Ganderbal are up in arms against the authorities for failing to provide water supply to various villages of the district.

According to the KNS correspondent, people from various areas of Ganderbal staged protest demonstrations against what they termed the ‘inordinate’ delay in supplying water to the various areas of Ganderbal.  The protesters alleged the government inaction in ending their woes- maintaining that they several times informed the concerned authorities about the crises but no steps to woes were taken up by the government.

They stated further that even in the month of Ramadan, they have to consume the water from the nearby steams- containing contaminated content due to which several health problems have occurred in the areas.

Staging the protest sit in against the administration, the protesters demanded uninterrupted water supply to their areas- cautioning that the agitation for the same could be extended if the demands are not met at an earliest.

The residents of Karhama, Zadikund, lat Waza,Pary pora, Badampora, zazna and adjoining areas have complained of the scarcity of water supplies.

Meanwhile, various other areas of valley complained about the dearth in the power supplies- stating that the state authorities are compelling them to spend most of their time in darkness. The people while expressing serious concern over the dearth of electricity supplies have stated that despite paying huge power tariffs, the authorities have turned blind-eye towards their plight. They maintained further that during the time of Iftaar and Sehri, the power mainly remains off due to which they suffer at large. The state government here claimed to have purchased more power to ensure smooth supply of the same keeping in view the sanity of the ongoing month of Ramadan.

Situation remained peaceful: Police

Srinagar: Shutdown in various areas of South Kashmir’s Tral was observed on Sunday– a day after a militant was killed by the forces after the deadly gun battle on Saturday.

According to the reports received by KNS, people in Tral area of south Kashmir on Sunday preferred to stay indoors as the showdown was observed in this town of South Kashmir against the killing of a militant during an encounter that took place on Saturday in which one militant belonging to Jaish outfit was killed. Tow army personnel were also injured during the gun battle.

Roads of the area of Sunday wore the deserted look with shopkeepers downed the shutters of their shops and transport remained off the roads. However, private vehicles were seen plying on the roads. Police and paramilitary forces were seen guarding the roads of the area- keeping a tight vigil over the eruption of any law and order situation. No untoward incident has been so far reported from the area.

Police on Saturday had to resort to aerial firing and tear gas shelling after the clashes between the forces and people erupted in the area after a militant was killed in an encounter. The slain militant commander identified as Aadil Pathan got wounded in an encounter after which he broke the cordon and sneaked into the nearby forest land wherefrom his body was later recovered.

Meanwhile, police stated that the situation in Tral remained peaceful on Sunday with no incident of violence reported from any area.

Srinagar: Ahead of the forthcoming assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir, AICC chairperson Sonia Gandhi has constituted a six member committee headed by the former defense minister A.K. Antony to access state’s political landscape.

Sources privy to this development told KNS that the move is to counter the BJP wave in the Jammu region wherein the Congress lost both the seats to its rival party.  The committee has also been assigned the task to analyze the situation for forging any alliance with the National Conference ahead of the polls slated by the end of this year.

The members of the committee include senior state Congress leaders Taj Mohi-ud-din, Gulam Ahmad Mir and Peerzada Sayeed from Kashmir region.  Two have been included from the Jammu region namely Madan Lal Sharma and the minister in Omar Abdullah’s cabinet Sham Lal Sharma. Ringzin Jora is representing Ladakh region of the state.

Sources have told KNS that a detailed meet between the party high command and the state leaders took place at New Delhi on Sunday wherein hectic deliberations were held over the issue of entering into a pre-poll pact with its ally National Conference. A senior Congress leader while pleading anonymity told KNS that he suggested Congress party to contest the forthcoming polls all alone in the state and that Congress is capable enough to fight other parties on all the political turfs of the state.

However other insiders of the meet stated that various dimensions of the matter were taken into consideration before any formal and final announcement could be made. Reports also informed that the meet of the chief minister Omar Abdullah is also expected to be held by the late Sunday evening with the Congress high command over the issue of the pre-poll alliance.

Meanwhile, prior to the Congress leaders meeting with the Antony Committee, AICC (I) general secretary, Incharge Jammu and Kashmir, Ambika Soni, Azad and Soz had a separate meeting to discuss the party strategy for the Assembly elections and apprised AICC (I) chief Sonia Gandhi about Jammu and Kashmir Congress leaders and workers stand that the party shouldn’t go for pre-poll alliance with the NC. Ambika Soni had held detailed meetings with party cadre in Kashmir recently to elicit their view point on party debacle in Lok Sabha elections and strategy for forthcoming Assembly elections.

Srinagar: With Kashmir’s political pot boiling ahead of forthcoming polls for assembly-slated to be held by the end of this year, serious deliberations have once again started within Congress to enter into pre-poll pact with its ally National Conference in Jammu and Kashmir.

Sources have revealed to KNS that the chief minister Omar Abdullah has been called to New Delhi and a meeting between him and Sonia Gandhi is expected to be held by late Sunday evening.

Ms Gandhi has also stressed her party cadres in Jammu and Kashmir to give a detailed ground report over the political scenario of the state after the recently held Lok Sabha polls and the footing of the Congress party ahead of the forthcoming assembly elections. The party’s senior leadership is also holding serious deliberations to counter the BJP wave in the Jammu region wherein the party candidates lost both seats of Lok Sabha recently.

Party insiders have told KNS that the senior state Congress leadership has been called to New Delhi earlier to know from them the results if the party enters into alliance with the national conference ahead of assembly polls. With several senior Congress leaders have voiced that the party must contest the polls separately, others have stressed for the need of the pre-poll pact to counter the BJP.

Sources privy to this development told KNS that most of the senior Congress leaders have suggested to go for a pre-poll alliance with NC so that maximum numbers are achieved in the upcoming assembly elections. The leadership of both the parties have almost mad their minds to have a second time coalition if the numbers favour them.

The Congress party is reportedly much perturbed over the increasing strength of the BJP in Jammu region- that earlier used to be the bastion of the Congress. Congress is now looking for the alternatives to regain control over the its lost ground and it for this objective that voices are being raised that the party must enter into a pre-poll pact with the National Conference.

Interestingly, chief minister Omar Abdullah had kept the option of any pre-poll alliance with the Congress open- maintaining that the party president and his father Dr Farooq would take the final call over the issue once he returns to Jammu and Kashmir. Reports have also maintained that Omar in a deliberate move kept the decision of the pre-poll alliance in limbo as he was in full knowledge about the dangerous outcome for both Congress and NC if the duo decides to contest the polls separately.

On the other hand, opposition Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) has clearly denied to have given any nod to Congress of entering into any pre-poll alliance with it. The party has decided to contest the polls on its own- keeping in view the recent LS results wherein it swept all the three seats in valley.

Srinagar: Thousands of people attended the funeral of slain Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) militant in south Kashmir’s Tral area of Pulwama district, witnesses told GNS on Saturday.

In a gunbattle at Aripal at Tral, a foreign militant identified as Madni was killed in an encounter with police and army earlySaturday morning. The other militants reportedly two to three in number managed to escape from the spot.

Meanwhile, soon after encounter concluded, the forces took over the body of slain militant. “However, the angry people snatched militant’s body from forces and took body in their possession,” witnesses told GNS.

“The militant’s body initially was taken in a procession to Hundura village. There were thousands of people in the procession. However, there were chaos and people from five to eight villages fought each other over militant’s burial,” a local told GNS, adding: “Due to scuffle, the militant’s body was taken to Patsuna.”

Witnesses told GNS that at Patsuna the slain militant’s funeral prayers were offered several times as there was heavy rush of people coming from adjoining villages. “Also, funeral-in-absentia was offered at many villages for the slain militant,” sources told GNS.

The women showered flowers and sweets on the body of slain militant, witnesses said. The militant was finally buried at Aripal in the presence of thousands of people amid sobs and tears.

Srinagar: Eminent Kashmiri Jurist, Legal Authority and Ex-Chief Justice of J&K, Justice Mufti Bahauddin Farooqi passed away in the early hours of morning on Saturday at his residence at Jawahar Nagar in Srinagar. Justice Farooqi served as the 12th Chief Justice of Jammu and Kashmir from March 7, 1983 to August 23, 1983. He was 87.

Justice Mufti Bahauddin Farooqi is survived by his daughter, three sons Advocate Mufti Showkat, Dr. Mufti Mahmood, Dr. Saadat Mufti and son-in-law Syed Tariq Ahmed Naqshbandi. Hundreds of people including prominent social and religious personalities participated in Justice Farooqi’s Nimaz-e-Jinaza which was held at Khanqah-e-Moula Shrine. Justice Farooqi has to his credit extensive work in documenting and reporting Human Rights violations in J&K and demanding legal prosecution against the culprits.

Various social, religious and political organizations have condoled Justice Farooqi’s demise and paid tributes to the Late Jurist for exemplary services rendered to the State’s Judicial Services.