Kashmir.Watch

Category: Union Territory

  • PDP to promote eco friendly tourism in J&K: Mehbooba

    Says with proper planning it could be a real engine for economic growth

    “Concretization of Kashmir needs to be reversed, constructions regulated”

    Srinagar: Identifying tourism as a major thrust area for her party Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) President, Mehbooba Mufti, Saturday said with proper planning it could be a real engine for economic growth of the state and provide enormous employment opportunities.

    According to a statement issued to KNS, while addressing a number of meetings in Bijbehara Assembly segment of South Kashmir Lok Sabha constituency, which she won in last elections, she said optimum and sustainable utilization of our resources alone can offer economic self reliance and prosperity to the state. “Unfortunately implementation of the vision rolled out in 2002 by the PDP on tourism, like many other sectors, was not carried forward leading to swelling of the numbers of unemployed and frustrated youth” Mehbooba added.

    Mehbooba said Jammu and Kashmir is a unique tourism product which could be leveraged to the benefit of every single individual living here but for achieving that it was necessary to drastically modernize the infrastructure. She said unless we upgrade the infrastructure tourism will remain confined mainly to low spending groups which would be a gross underutilization of our strength and potential.

    Regretting that the present government had been unable even to put speed in projects launched a decade back Mehbooba said it was a sad commentary on our being a tourist state that the highway from Srinagar and Jammu remains jammed most of the time. The Srinagar-Qazigund sector that feeds most of the premier tourist destinations remains a challenge for commuters throwing tourists as well as the local population into great discomfort Mehbooba said adding that is no way of promoting tourism.

    Mehbooba said new areas identified by the previous government and brought under Tourism Development Authorities have almost been abandoned with a free for all unregulated construction, turning some of them into virtual urban centres or even worse, slums. She said the concretization of Kashmir needs to be reversed, constructions regulated and green areas saved from urbanization.

    Mehbooba said a proper land utilization plan will have to be devised and strictly implemented to prevent degeneration of our natural assets and balance the needs for development with requirements of ecology and environment. She said it was almost criminal to let a beautiful place like Kashmir convert into a concrete jungle only because no government has ever gone beyond a superficial approach to major concerns about sustainability of private and government development process. “Corruption at every level is being patronized at the cost of the future of this state and its people, especially the younger generation, which is destroying the scenic splendour of almost every place. That will have to be arrested,” said Mehbooba.

    Mehbooba said the PDP has plans to promote eco friendly tourism projects and encourage high end tourism that would bring in much higher returns for same product that at present is virtually sold for peanuts. “Side by side with this human resource development in catering and hospitality sector will be launched in a mission mode so that our youngsters are fully equipped not only to help upgrade the sector within the state but open up opportunities for them outside the state”, she said and added the inherent personality advantages of our youth like their appealing appearance, language proficiency and hospitality tradition can with modern training go a long way in creating a professional pool so essential for reviving Brand Kashmir. Mehbooba said it will be policy of the PDP to encourage local entrepreneurs and investors to setup modern tourist facilities to give boost to the sector.

    Mehbooba said one of the major achievements of the PDP led government in 2002 was the dramatic revival of tourism. She said the party had been able to convince the outside world that Kashmir was the same hospitable place, a tourist destination for centuries and our credibility worked even with the NDA government of the time which helped with special packages for hoteliers, house boat owners, boat men and pony owners. On infrastructure front some game changing measures were taken but they couldn’t be carried forward by the succeeding government and fell prey to inefficiency, corruption, political bias and favouritism, she said.

    Mehbooba said it is saddening that the people all across the state are still suffering due to lack of basic amenities like quality health care, proper road connectivity, quality education, ration, power etc.   “People are suffering on account of shortage of ration items like-food grains, sugar, LPG, Kerosene etc.,” she said adding due to lack of ration at many places the landless families both in rural and urban areas have to suffer more because of the government’s callousness and insensitivity.

    Referring to the dismal power scenario she said besides charging huge tariff from the people the government has failed in its duty to provide power to the people. She said all parts of the state are confronting with the bad power supply but the situation is worst in far-flung areas. She expressed concern over the bad condition of roads in entire Kashmir. Mehbooba said pitiable condition of roads present a sad commentary on the performance of this government. She said the government is brazenly sleeping over the matter and is not taking steps to mitigate the people’s problems.

    Reiterating the resolve of her party to address the issues of the people Mehbooba said the PDP is committed to overall development of the state and equal share to all areas, regions, sub-regions especially far-flung areas. On the occasion senior party leader, Abdul Rehman Veeri, MLA, was also present.

  • Sidelining of K-Issue during Modi’s visit an act of Ostrich bird: Hurriyat (G)

    Geelani expresses condolences on demise Justice (Retd) Mufti Baha-ud-Din

    Srinagar: While terming the ‘sidelining of the Kashmir issue’ by Narendera Modi as an act of the Ostrich bird who hides his head under sand pretending that he is not being seen by anybody, Hurriyat Conference (G) said that this type of attitude of the Indian rulers can neither change the living and solid realities of the Kashmir issue and nor is it possible to sideline this grave political and human issue.

    Hurriyat (G) spokesman said that even if the railway tracks and the roads in Kashmir are made with the gold, Kashmiris will neither surrender their genuine and just demand of right to self determination nor will they enter in any type of sell out with the sacrifices and aspirations of the nation.

    In a statement issued to KNS, a Hurriyat (G) spokesman said that Narindera Modi by not mentioning the Kashmir issue have actually repeated the traditional rigid and stubborn policy of India and he have tried to create an impression that he do not care for the sacrifices, aspirations and the struggle of the Kashmiris.

    While commenting upon the statement of Prime Minister of India in which he talked about the ‘winning of hearts and minds of the people’, Hurriyat Conference said that Kashmiris can’t be cheated by showing ‘lolly-pops’ to them and nor can they be deceived by the sweet voice of the oppressors. “If Narendera Modi really wants to win the hearts of the people then he could have expressed his view point on the just and genuine demand of the Kashmiris which they are demanding from the last 67 years and for which they have and are suffering so much. He could have mentioned some of the war crimes of his army which they are committing in Jammu & Kashmir and due to which during the last 25 years one lakh Kashmiries have been massacred. One lakh people have been tortured and left disabled, ten thousand people have been murdered in custody and the same number of people has been subjected to custodial disappearance. If Mr. Narinder Modi would have came here to win the hearts then he should have mentioned the thousands of unmarked graves which have been discovered in different districts of the state and nobody knows that who and how many are buried in them and in what crime. Hurriyat said that Narinder Modi by saying that politics is not priority of his visit but he came here to win over the hearts and minds of the people, have actually done a lot of politics because hearts are not won by neglecting the strong realities. It depicts your ego and carelessness towards the people that these miseries and oppression hardly matters for you. According to the Hurriyat spokesman the railway line which have been mentioned by the Prime Minister of India are actually constructed for the purpose of Indian army and the benefit of the Power project which he inaugurated is also for the India itself and not for Kashmiris. If the Kashmiris have got any type of benefit from the visit of Indian Prime Minister that are the Restrictions, arrests and searches and frisking and banning of first congregational Friday prayers of the holy month of Ramadan at many places.”

    Hurriyat Conference (G) said that Kashmiris have been nether suppressed in the past by the pressure, rigidity, stubbornness and arrogance of power of the Indian rulers and nor will they surrender their just struggle for their rights in the future. This policy of Indian rulers have become the major hurdle in the path of peace and prosperity of the India, Pakistan and the millions of the people of Jammu and Kashmir and these policies are increasing the political uncertainty and instability in this south Asian region. It is better for Narinder Modi to accept the ground and solid realities with regarding to the Kashmir dispute and come forward to solve this issue according to the wishes and aspirations of the people of Kashmir.”

    Meanwhile, Chairman Hurriyat Conference (G) Syed Ali Geelani has expressed deep grief and sorrow over the sad demise of retired Justice Mufti Baha-ud-Din and has prayed for eternal peace of the departed soul in the life hereafter with best place in Jannat-ul-Firdous. Due to he being under house arrest, Geelani  could not take part in funeral prayers of late Mufti , but on his direction General Secretary Tehreek-e-Hurriyat Mohammad Ashraf Sahraie, Dr G.M. Ganai and Abdul Hameed Magrey participated in the funeral prayers on his behalf at Khanqahi Mualla . Geelani offered rich tributes to late mufti  for his ideological guidance to freedom struggle and his role in framing the constitution of All Parties Hurriyat conference in nineties. Geelani  further said that late Mufti sahib was a staunch supporter of freedom movement of Jammu and Kashmir and he used to say that one day India will have to accede to demand of the freedom by the people of J&K. Geelani expressed his sorrow for his inability to take part in the funeral prayers of late justice Mufti due to being under house arrest but he conveyed his sympathies, solidarity and condolences to the bereaved family.

  • With the authorities in slumber, people vary due to sky touching prices

    Srinagar: With no control over the growing prices of the essentials in the Srinagar markets, state authorities seem to be in deep slumber over the crises with the commoners suffering due to this apathy at large. According to the reports received by KNS, there are reportedly no official checks going on in the Srinagar markers- making commoners to suffer at large in the holy month of Ramadan.

    Even the local vegetables are being sold on very higher prices when compared to the last month, the dates, which are being used to break the fast, also costs Rs 30 to Rs 100 more against last y ear. Reports also informed that the prices of bread and bakery items are uncontrolled while meat, chicken and eggs are being sold on higher prices against the approved government rates.

    According to the reports, Radish which was being sold at Rs 20 per kg, now costs Rs 40, cauliflower costs Rs 30 to Rs 40 against Rs 20 last week, peas Rs 50 against Rs 20 per kg, cucumber Rs 40 against Rs 20, onion Rs 30, tomatoes Rs 20, Garlic Rs 80 per kg, Palak Rs 30 against Rs 20, beans Rs 50 per kg, carrot Rs 40, Hak (a Kashmir green leaves vegetable) Rs 40 to Rs 50 and bottle gourd Rs 40. People alleged that during this time of the season, local vegetables remained available on very low prices. But, they said, this time the prices remained out of the reach of lower and middle class families.

    Surprisingly, a egg still costs Rs 5 while chicken was being sold at Rs 1 20 per kg against the government price of less than Rs 100. People alleged that despite fixing the rate of meat at Rs 280 per kg, butchers were selling meat at the rate of Rs 350 per kg for the past about one year. Prices of tea, pulses and other items had also witnessed sharp increase during the past few months. People alleged that Namkeen tea which was being sold at the rate of Rs 300 last y ear now costs Rs 420 to Rs 450 per kg. 

  • JeM militant killed in Tral encounter

    Police exercised maximum restraint: IGP Kashmir

    Two police vehicles set ablaze, six cops injured in stone pelting

    Srinagar: One foreign militant of JeM outfit was killed while one soldier sustained injuries in an encounter at Aaripal-Pastuna Tral with police and Army this morning. On specific information a joint operation was launched by Awantipora police, Budgam police, 42 RR, 35 RR of Army and 185 Bn CRPF at village Aaripal of Tral.

    The militants trapped in a house fired upon the joint team injuring one army man. The fire was retaliated. In the retaliatory fire one militant was injured who fled to the nearby Pastuna forest area. Later on his body was found in the jungle. The foreign militant was later identified as Adil Pathan alias Madni of JeM outfit. An AK rifle, 3 Magazines  were also recovered. Madni operated in coordination with HM cadres in the Tral area, said a police handout issued to KNS.

    Meanwhile, according to a police statement issued to KNS, after the death of a foreign militant in the encounter some miscreants pelted stones on police. “The ‘miscreants’ set on fire two police vehicles. These vehicles suffered damage. Police exercised maximum restraint. There are no reports of injury to anyone,” added the police statement.

    After the encounter was over, the locals observed complete shutdown and resorted to stone pelting till the body of slain militant was handover to them. He was laid to rest in Pastuna village. The IGP Kashmir A G Mir told KNS: “One militant was killed while one army soldier sustained injuries. However, police exercised maximum restraint even if there was heavy stone pelting on police and some five to six police personnel were hurt.”

  • Congress never cooperated with us: NC

    ‘There was no coalition with Congress but an adjustment’

    ‘Taj raked up a trivial issue on Uri project’

    Srinagar: The National Conference on Saturday accused state Congress for not cooperating with it during the last five and half years of governance in Jammu and Kashmir.

    Talking to KNS, Dr Mustafa Kamal, additional general secretary National Conference blamed state Congress leadership for playing a ‘double role’ as far as the supporting its coalition partner was concerned.  “The state congress always mislead the congress high command in Delhi about National Conference. They never supported NC during the last over five and half years of government as was expected from it.”

    When asked how was Congress state leadership able to create a ‘wedge’ between NC and Congress high command when Chief Minister Omar  Abdullah has a personal rapport with the Gandhi family particularly with Mr Rahul Gandhi, Kamal said: “They (state Congress leadership had tried its best to create differences between NC and Congress by misleading them (Congress high command) but it was the personal relationship that state congress leadership failed and I hope that Mr Omar maintains that relationship with the Congress high command in future as well.”

    The NC additional general secretary said that there was a clandestine understanding between some local congress leaders with its arch rival Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and both had tried to dislodge Omar Abdullah government a few months after Narendra Modi won the elections. Kamal said that state Congress wanted to topple the government through proxies so that it does not take any blame for it. “I hope and expect that Congress high command is now cautious and conscious as well and it will never rely much on its local leadership in terms of giving a heed to its word,” Kamal hoped.

    Asked about pre poll alliance with Congress for the upcoming assembly elections, Kamal hoped that there will be no pre poll alliance with the Congress this time. “I hope that the president of NC who has to take a final call on this issue (pre poll alliance ) will uphold the democratic right of his party cadres who are not in favour of any pre poll alliance with Congress for the upcoming assembly elections,” he added. “We had no coalition but it was an adjustment between NC and Congress in the interest of civil rule and democratic process. It was a sacrifice from NC for the people of the state to make adjustment with Congress and save the people form governor’s rule,” Kamal said.

    Asked when will NC issue its list of candidates for the upcoming assembly elections,  Kamal said that Dr Farooq Abdullah is in Delhi and after his arrival in Srinagar the list will be out without any delay. “I think by the early next week the list of our candidates should be out. Our party president is in Delhi and he is expected to arrive in Srinagar tomorrow or day after and as soon as he arrives here, I think the list will be given a final shape and it will be out by or before the next week.”

    Kamal said that there was delay in announcement of candidates because of Prime Minister’s visit to Kashmir  and the Jammu party unit had not submitted its panel of candidates to the party leadership in Srinagar. “Now the party’s Jammu provincial unit has furnished its panel of candidates and there will be no delay in announcement of the final list of candidates,” he added.

    Reacting sharply to  Taj Mohiuddin’ statement on Uri power project which was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narindera Modi, Kamal said that by issuing such a statement Taj has undermined himself.  “Mr Taj says that Uri power project which was inaugurated by the Prime Minister has no license to operate is correct. But it was a trivial issue and there was no need to issue such a statement. I think when the state government at its highest level (Chief Minister) was present on the occasion of inauguration of that project, Taj should have reserved such comments,” Kamal said. He added: “It was a technical issue and technical issues and there was no need to rake up such a controversy. May be the government will use license part as a handle in getting 30 per cent royalty from this Uri power project implemented.”

  • Arabs must shun ‘oil for India and Zamzam for Kashmir policy’: Ex-UJC chief

    Srinagar: Chief Patron Jammu Kashmir Mahaz-e-Azadi (MeA) Muhammad Azam Inqilabi Saturday condemned Delhi’s “imperialist designs” and lauded people for observing strike on July 04 on Indian Premier’s visit.

    In a statement here, Inqilabi said the strike showed people are “committed towards resistance movement.”

    “In fact hartal on July 04 was in a way referendum against India’s colonial rule of Kashmir,” he added.

    MeA patron termed Pakistan’s K-policy as “apologetic”.

    “Their (Pakistan’s) stand is only strengthening status-quo here. Politics of onions and potatoes on Kashmir front after eight wars shows lack of determination,” he said.

    He said, “India wants to browbeat Kashmiris into submission. And through chanakiyan fraud and deceit wants to divert attention from Kashmir and break will for resistance.”

    “During the past 67 years India martyred six lakh Kashmiris which includes pro-freedom leaders like Maqbool Bhat, Afzal Guru, Moulvi Farooq, Ab. Gani Lone, Jaleel Andrabi, S. Hameed, Sheikh Aziz, Dr. Gh.Qadir Wani, Qazi Nisar, Ashfaq Majeed Wani, Adv. Husaam-ud-din, Shamsul Haq, Dr. Ashai, Maqbool Malik, Dr. Guroo and many others.”

    In such a situation, he said, Islamic scholars and leaders should urge Muslim rulers to shun hypocrisy.

    “Arab rulers should stop oil supply to India as it provides strength to its imperialist system. The policy of oil for India and Zamzam water for Kashmiris is taking toll on our struggle,” he said.

    Inqilabi said Pakistan needs a rethink on its Kashmir policy. “We feel the leadership there isn’t serious about ideology of Pakistan.”

    “They (Pakistani leadership) have forgotten Dhaka declaration, neutralized the revolutionary role of Azad Kashmir as base camp of our freedom struggle and remain passive spectator of Indian stratocracy in Kashmir,” he added.

    He said, “Now Mirwaiz Umar Farooq Sahab is visiting one locality after another to reform society, this is a result of your (Pakistan’s) ineffective K-policy that now even our Milli-identity is under threat. So are our water resources.”

    MeA patron said India has “stretched its claws on our resources and exploited them for its own benefit, leaving Kashmiris in lurch.”

    He said if Pakistan doesn’t “act to end disillusionment in Kashmir then it will have serious repercussions.”

    “Don’t treat Kashmiris as an expendable pawn, your politics of onions and potatoes (the Loc barter) cannot lessen the hardships of Kashmiris,” he said in the statement.

  • Modi and CM Omar Abdullah sharing a laugh

    PM Narinder Modi and CM Omar Abdullah sharing a laugh with each other in Katra.

  • Beig, Shafi, Taj did not attend the function

    Srinagar: Member Parliament and senior Peoples Democratic party (PDP) leader Muzaffar Hussian Beig, Mohammad Shafi Uri, Rajya Sabha Member and senior National Conference leader and Taj Mohi-u-Din, minister Health and Medical Education   and senior Congress leader did not attend the function organized in the honour of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Uri where Mr Modi inaugurated 240 MW Uri-II Hydro Electric Project on Friday afternoon.

    Sources close to Muzaffar Hussian Beig told KNS that he could not attend the function because of his personal engagements. Meanwhile, Taj Mohiuddin told KNS that he received a late night invitation on Thursday and it was because of his stand against NHPC he had taken while being the minister for PHE and irrigation that he was sidelined.

    Senior National Conference leader and Rajeya Sabha member Mohammad Shafi Uri told KNS that he has not received any letter of invitation so how could he attend the function. “I am in Delhi for the last two days besides that I have confirmed from my residence but they have not received any letter of invitation,” Mr Shafi said. Prof Saiffudin Soz, President Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) was also not present on the occasion.

  • Separatists continue to remain under siege

    Srinagar: Prime Minister Narendera Modi’s visit to Kashmir, authorities on Friday placed some senior separatist leaders under house arrest while the JKLF chairman Yasin Malik was detained in early morning raids at his residence.

    Those who have been confined to their residences include Hurriyat Conference Jammu and Kashmir (HCJK) leader Shabir Ahmad Shah, Hurriyat (M) leader Zaffar Akbar Bhat, Hurriyat Conference (G) leader Mohammad Ashraf Sehraie, Hurriyat (G) leader Ayaz Akbar and Hurriyat (G) leader Altaf Shah. Pertinently, Syed Ali Geelani, chairman Hurriyat Conference (G) is already under house detention for the last over two months. The DGP K Rajindera Kumar told KNS on Thursday that the decision has been taken by the local administration after assessment of the situation. “These decisions are taken by the local administration after thorough assessment of the situation on ground,” he added.

  • Geelani thanks people on observing strike

    Asks Modi to read writing on the wall

    Srinagar: Huriyat Conference (G) chairman Syed Ali Geelani on Friday hailed people for observing shutdown against Modi’s valley visit- stating that Government of India (GOI) must read writing on the wall. “This was not merely a common shutdown but a referendum by the people of Kashmir against the policies of the BJP vis-à-vis valley,” said the senior separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani while talking to KNS.

    He added that the shutdown was an eye opener for the helmsmen at New Delhi to know that the people of Kashmir out rightly reject the policies of the BJP led government. “The hartal was against policies of BJP like permanent settlement to refugees in Jammu, separate homeland to pundits in valley, abrogation of Article 370 besides various others.”