Category: Union Territory

Srinagar: Mirwaiz Umar Farooq chairman Huriyat Conference while calling for a complete shutdown on Tuesday against the gruesome “murder” of the youth in Sopore, has strongly condemned the Sopore firing incident saying that it seems that the security forces have been emboldened by the recent statements made by political leadership and the top army commanders in the state.

Talking to KNS, Mirwaiz termed the incident ‘barbaric and a gruesome murder’ against which the people of Kashmir should observe a complete shutdown on Tuesday. “It is unfortunate that rather than showing restrain, the police, army and Para military forces have gone for a killing spree of people. World human rights organization must take cognizance of these incidents and use their good offices to stop the rights abuse in Kashmir

Srinagar: In his fight for freedom from Indian forcible occupation, Hurriyat Conference Jammu Kashmir leader Shabir Ahmad Shah has spent major portion of his life in jails, in and outside valley. Since the fight for freedom continues, Shabir Ahmad Shah is either put under house arrest or is detained in any police station.

According to a statement issued to KNS, Democratic Freedom Party general secretary, Muhammad Abdullah Taari while criticizing the unending restrictions on Shabir Ahmad Shah said: “In a democratic set-up, when the political opponents are released from jails, they get freed in real terms and continue their political, social as well as religious activities in a free and fair manner. Contrary to it, the so-called democratic government after releasing Shabir Shah from a long detention re-arrested him in 2008 and 2010 on same charges and in this connection, Shah was slapped PSA six times. After that 3-year detention, since 2011, Shah was neither allowed to address any public gathering nor any religious or social gathering. He is not even allowed to offer congregational Friday or Eid prayers.In this connection, Shah’s total detention period (either in police station or under house arrest) counts to 1 year 6 months and 2 days which covers 129 Fridays.” Taari while condemning government’s policy of keeping Shabir Ahmad Shah away from people and keeping him under frequent house arrests termed it “autocratic” and “dictatorial”. “Their hollow slogans of being the champions of democracy are falling flat,” Tari said.

Taari while further questioning the so-called government said: “Is it a democracy where people are booked under harsh and black laws for demanding the right of self-determination and are being incessantly kept behind bars. This is a sheer barbarianism. On one hand, the governments beating the drums of democracy and on other they are restricting the movements of political leaders and are involved in anti-democratic acts in the name of democracy,” Tari questioned and added that by resorting to such means, the government can neither suppress the freedom movement nor can it weaken the resolve of pro-freedom people.

Expresses solidarity with bereaved family

Srinagar: National Conference has expressed grief and sorrow at the Sopore firing incident in which a youth Irshad Ahmad Shah has lost his life and others have sustained injuries.

According to a statement issued to KNS, NC Spokesman Junaid Azim Mattu has said that National Conference condemns this unfortunate incident in unequivocal terms and demands that the Government initiates an immediate inquiry and ascertains the circumstances leading to this unfortunate tragedy and fixes responsibility effectively and transparently.

The NC Spokesman has also said that the party demands all possible medical and financial assistance be provided to the injured victims and ex-gratia relief be extended to the family of the deceased without any delay. “This like all such tragedies is inconsolable and we express complete solidarity and sympathy with the deceased’s family,” Mattu said. 

Demands action instead of ordering probes, inquires

Srinagar: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) today condemned the firing incident at Sopore in which one youth Arshad Ahmad Shah was killed and four others injured. Mehbooba Mufti, president PDP said it is unfortunate that another innocent boy has lost his life in firing by security forces at Sopore.

According to a statement issued to KNS, the PDP president demanded that the culprits be identified and brought to justice without wasting time in ordering probes, inquires and commissions that have lost their meaning under the present dispensation.

“The culprits must be identified without any delay and tried for their unwarranted action,” Mehbooba demanded, adding that if the protests were imminent following the encounter in the town, the security forces should have exercised maximum restraint in order to prevent causalities.

Mehbooba termed the firing as an unwarranted action against the protesters who had assembled to give vent to their feelings. She expressed solidarity with the bereaved family of Shah and demanded special medical treatment for the four injured youths, one of them said to be critical.  

Srinagar: The PCC Joint Secretary Salman  Nizami Monday said that the return of Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad to state politics will have significant impact in the upcoming Assembly elections.

According to a statement issued to KNS, Nizami said that with the return of Azad to state as Chief Ministerial candidate, Congress will rout the opposition parties and will achieve the major target in Chenab valley and Jammu region where the party is enjoying the strong footing.  “The level of confidence in the Congress party is up now.  Azad sahab has extensively travelled the Chenab valley to woo the people for their support in upcoming Assembly elections.  He was positively received by the people from all sections which infused the level of confidence in the party,” he said in a statement issued here.

Nizami said that like the wave of Narendra Modi in India, the influence of Azad will have great impact on Assembly elections in state and Congress will rout the opposition.

He said the people during the tour to the valley hailed Azad for his all round development in state and especially in Chenab valley and assured him full support to become the Chief Minister of state. He, however, appealed youth to refrain from supporting the parties with communal agenda. He recently toured Chenab valley and also interacted with the young brigade and urged them to vote for Congress.

Srinagar:  While condemning the killing of a youth in Sopore firing incident, Shabir Ahmad Shah, Hurriyat Conference Jammu and Kashmir (HCJK) senior leader has called for a complete strike on Tuesday.

Talking to KNS Shah said condemned the Sopore firing incident saying that the human rights abuses have crossed the limits in Kashmir and the security forces  have been ‘let loose to torment, kill, loot and do any sort of rights abuse in Kashmir’. Shah urged international human rights observes to take serious cognizance of the human rights violations taking place in Kashmir.

Srinagar: Senior APHC leader and Jammu Kashmir Salvation movement Chairman, Zaffer Akbar Bhat along with liberation front chairman Javid Ahmad Mir today lead a huge procession in Tral and paid glowing tributes to three martyred youth. Chairman Hurriyat Conference (M) Umer Farooq also talk to family of martyrs and express solidarity with them and paid tributes to martyrs.

According to a statement issued to KNS, Zaffar and Javed expressed sympathy and solidarity with the families of martyrs of Tariq Ahmad Parray, Adil Ahmad Mir and Aadil Ahmad Shah who were martyred by Indian troops during a siege and search operation.

Procession started from the residence of Tariq Ahmad Parray in Laribal and passed through the villages of all three martyrs and other areas.

APHC leaders also visited the grave yards of martyrs at Rathsuna, Laribal and Dadsora Tral and paid tributes to the martyrs.

Thousands of men, women children and especially youths participated in the procession and raised pro Islam and pro-freedom slogans. High pitched slogans were raised against India’s illegal occupation and innocent killings. APHC leaders were accompanied by several leaders and activists of Salvation movement including Imtiyaz Ahmad, Zulfikar Hameed, Adnan Kashmiri, Zahoor Ahmad, Aijaz Beg, Molvi Rafiq, Mohammad Amin, Mohammad Maqbool and Farooq Ahmad.

Addressing the procession, APHC leader Zaffar Akbar Bhat paid glowing tributes to martyred youth and pledged to take the ongoing martyrs mission to its logical conclusion. They said that Kashmir martyrs internationalized the Kashmir dispute and hence no one will be allowed to exploit or waste the sacrifices of martyrs.

He said that resolution of Kashmir conflict is Imperative for both the countries involved in the conflict as it can lead to another deadly nuclear War between the countries that fought several in past over the Kashmir dispute. Hurriyat Conference (M) leaders Zaffar and Javaid said that Kashmir dispute is the main source of Confrontation between the countries and delaying its peaceful resolution will contact to cast dark shadow over their peace and prosperity. They said that India must shun its policy of killing innocent people through its military might as the use of suppressive and oppressive tact’s can not deter people of Kashmir from securing right to self determination.

Growing reports of attempts by PDP to corrupt our youth: Dr. Kamal

Srinagar: National Conference has lashed out at PDP for systematically using moral corruption of young boys in Shehar-e-Khaas as a political tool to further its plans to exploit our youth as pawns in electoral battles.

According to a statement issued to KNS, while castigating PDP for allowing some of its most notorious and ill-reputed “new faces” to allegedly aid and abet drug scandals and narcotics rackets in Shehar-e-Khaas, NC Additional General Secretary Dr. Sheikh Mustafa Kamal has demanded that the police takes immediate and serious cognizance of these reports and brings the culprits to the book. “National Conference has a responsibility towards Srinagar due to a bond of trust that has lasted decades where NC has helped in safeguarding the historicity and cultural centrality of Srinagar – even when it meant spilling our blood for Srinagar. We can not and will not watch as mute spectators while PDP empowers goons and criminals to corrupt and exploit our young boys who they eventually plan to use as pawns in the coming elections”, Dr. Kamal said.

Stating that the youth of the nation was its biggest asset, Dr. Sheikh Mustafa Kamal said that PDP only intends to repeat and rehearse what Mufti Sayeed started in 1990, albeit in a different shape now. “In 1990 Mufti Sayeed lorded over numerous grizzly mass-massacres in Shehar-e-Khaas and sent thousands of our young boys to graves while he basked in sadistic pleasure as the Home Minister in New Delhi. The harrowing memories of Gaw Kadal, Hawal, Abi Guzar and Mashali Mohalla massacres are still fresh in our psyche. Now it appears that Mufti Sayeed is yet again launching a similar, elaborately planned murderous assault – this time on the very soul of Srinagar by promoting to known goons and criminals who have started to use their ill-gotten black-money to encourage drug-addiction and alcoholism among the youth ahead of the coming elections”, the NC Additional General Secretary said.

Dr. Kamal said that there were growing reports and very serious allegations from public delegations of distraught parents from Shehar-e-Khaas that a particular “new face” of the principal opposition party was allegedly encouraging the poisonous growth of drug addiction in Srinagar through his henchmen. “We demand the police takes all these reports and allegations very seriously and thwart these attempts to corrupt and destroy the future and lives of our youth. Numerous public delegations from Shehar-e-Khaas have complained that their young children are being lured with narcotics and alcohol and then exploited once addicted. There should be no hesitation in launching a thorough investigation against the alleged culprits”, Dr. Kamal said.

The NC Additional General Secretary said that there were also reports of allegedly some immoral activities going on under the patronage of some new entrants into the opposition’s ranks in Shehar-e-Khaas. “While all of this might be acceptable to Mufti Sayeed as long as he gets a foothold through criminals in Srinagar, National Conference will expose these anti-social and ill-reputed criminal elements and will not allow them to toy with the lives of our young generation”, Dr. Kamal  said. 

Srinagar: The Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) will act against all those companies that are indulging in defacement and illegal pasting of advertisements on public and private properties. According to a statement issued to KNS, the SMC has already moved the court to act against the Cemtac Cements, Aircel and Dishnet Wireless Limited that were found indulging in setting up kiosks, small hoardings and wall wraps on private properties without permission of any competent authority.

Municipal magistrate Khursheed-ul-Islam, while taking cognizance, has said prima facie the accused have committed offences under Section 115, 116 and 302 (vi) of the J-K Municipal Corporation Act. “A summon is issued to the accused for their presence before the court on 01, 07. 2014,” directed the magistrate. The SMC in a round of the city limits has observed that big private companies like Airtel, Aircel, Idea and Khyber Cements have painted private and government buildings in an illegal attempt to advertise their respective brands.

It was found that these companies had painted thousands of shop shutters with company logo without prior permission. These advertisements have violated Section 115, 116 and 302 of the J&K Municipal Corporation Act 2003. These companies’ wall paintings on shop fronts are also violation of provisions of J&K Defacement of Public Property Act 1985.

The SMC warns companies against setting up advertisements in violation of advertisement policy sanctioned by the government under which all advertisements are to be carried out with proper permission of the authorities and the SMC, which is assigned to designate hoarding sites in Srinagar city against proper fee. The rampant pasting on one hand has defaced public property and on the other inflicted losses on the SMC to the tune of Rs 4 crore. Several companies did not spare sacred spaces like graveyards and misused the space against the sensibilities of people.

“The SMC has decided to clampdown on such companies indulging in inconvenience to people, defacement of walls and illegal pasting of advertisements. It is incumbent on the companies to show self ethics and stop the practice,” said SMC commissioner Dr G N Qasba.

In case of violations, the SMC is bound to penalize such companies and take stern action, including imprisonment as per the provisions, he added.