Category: Union Territory

Compliments youth for reposing faith in PDP; Asks party cadres to prepare for bigger role ahead 

Srinagar: Senior PDP leader and former Finance Minister Tariq Hameed Karra Friday expressed gratitude to the people of Srinagar, Budgam and Ganderbal districts for reposing faith in him and his party.

“As I have already made a commitment that I won’t let down the people if elected to the Lok Sabha, I not only stand by my pledge but reiterate the same after having got the people’s mandate,” Karra said in a statement issued here today. He said he is especially overwhelmed by the support extended by the youth to the inclusive and progressive policies of his party aimed at JK’s political stability and economic prosperity.

He said it would be his endeavour to work for the welfare of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, especially the youth, who have suffered untold miseries because of the political and economic instability and uncertainties plaguing the state for the past more than six decades.

Reiterating that PDP would continue to work hand-in-hand with the progressive and democratic forces in the country to facilitate dignified resolution of JK’s problems, Karra asked the party cadres to prepare for a significant and bigger role ahead as the winds of change have already set in across J&K. “The overwhelming public support to PDP’s agenda for peace and prosperity is obvious from the results of Lok Sabha polls and the party is going to consolidate this massive public support further in the upcoming Assembly elections in the interest of peace and stability,” he said and assured that PDP would continue its endeavour to work for the larger political and economic welfare of J&K and its people.

“It is an honour and a humbling one to be nominated for this position and I assure the people that under the visionary leadership of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and Mehbooba Mufti, our party would work with fresh zeal towards mitigating the sufferings of the state and its people,” Karra said and added that while the people in J&K want their political and human rights to be upheld with dignity and honor, they at the same time seek protection of their socio-economic rights in an e

Srinagar:  Terming the eviction of more than hundred families belong to a particular religious community of Gul Gujral Jammu as “atrocious and communal”, APHC (M) Chairman Mirwaiz Dr Mohammad Umar Farooq Thursday stated that the way in which the dwellings (Koths) of these families in presence of Administration of Jammu Division were demolished and destroyed and the dwellers thrown out is highly condemnable and reflect the communal mindset of the authorities.

In a statement, Mirwaiz stated that it was the duty of state government to rehabilitate the poor migrants with dignity, adding that they were made homeless and subjected to various sufferings only because they belonged to a particular religious community.

Meanwhile, Hurriyat spokesman has condemned the detention of hundreds of youth under the cover of holding the ‘so called’ elections. He demanded the immediate release of youth who continue to be under the police custody.

Srinagar: Police on Thursday recovered a female body under mysterious circumstances from Qazigund area in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district.

Some locals informed the police about the body lying near the Al-Staff area in Mir Bazar, Qazigund, a police team was immediately rushed to the spot where a female body has been recovered having visible torture marks on her body, official sources said.

A police spokesman in a statement issued to GNS while confirming the recovering of a female body having serious burn marks and was in semi decomposed state.  “The body was later identified as Sumaira Jan wife of Mehboob Ahmad Mir resident of Babdar, Fathapora, Anantnag”.

The lady was reported to be missing since 8th May from Sher Bagh hospital. A missing report already stands registered in police post Sher Bagh, Anantnag, the official said.

He said a team of FSL experts was been deputed to the spot for investigation. The body has been sent for Post Mortem.

“A case under section 174 CrPc has been registered in this regard and further investigations taken up”, he said.

Meanwhile, the family and the relatives of the Sumera Jan staged protest and demanded stern action against the culprits.

Scores of angry youth pelted stones at the FSL vehicle at the spot at Mir Bazar breaking few window panes of the vehicle. However, police chased them away and carried on with their investigations.

‘Shaikh-ul-Alam name of Airport, Airport road imperative’

Srinagar: while interacting with different sections of society particularly youth and students who are working outside state have again come to know that the pressure on JK sector airlines seems to have diluted and they have again started looting tourists, citizens of JK State by enhancing the ticket rates by ten times. The Airport Authority of India and Civil Aviation Ministry have also delayed reviving the name of Sheikh-ul-Alam Airport which was earlier officially given to the Srinagar Airport. Even road from exhibition to airport was named as Sheikh-ul-Alam road.

According to a statement issued to KNS, the chairman Kashmir Society today interacted with president Hotelier Association Showkat Choudary, President KHARA, President of Chamber of Commerce Ashiq and other renowned and prominent personalities of the state. All of them were unanimous that airline authorities should bring down air tariff from Srinagar to Jammu as 1500 and Srinagar to Delhi and back 2000 which Is normal rate. The exploitation tactics used by all airlines is totally anti-people and against the interests of JK State. It is only discouraging tourists to come Kashmir as one ticket rate is being openly sold at 20000 to 24000 thousand rupees, which is more costly then air tariff to the western countries.

The students who are studying outside the state on scholarships and businessman who have to frequently go from one place to another have been made scapegoats by all airlines. Kashmir Society had earlier interacted with prominent personalities including Moulana Amir-u-Din, Moulana Latief Ahmad Bukhari, Moulvi Mohamad Altaf, Moulvi Mufti Mudasir Ahmad Qadri, Moulvi Bashir-u-Din Khuspuri, Syed Mazhar-ul-Shah Chesti, Syed Sharief-ul-Haq, Bulbul Shah Institute Arizal and Moulana Mohamad Ramzan Nishat. They have also supported the revival of name of Sheikh-ul-Alam airport.(KNS)

Counting will be video-graphed, EVM results cross checked: Umang Narulla

Srinagar: The Election Commission has completed its arrangements to be put in place for counting at five counting stations in Kashmir division including Leh and Kargil. Sharing details of counting arrangements with KNS, Mr Umang Narulla, the Chief Electoral Officer said the entire counting process will be video-graphed for the first time in the state besides being monitored strictly by government of India appointed General Election Observers and micro observers attached to each counting table.

“I visited the three counting stations in Anantnag, Srinagar and Baramulla and we have completed all the arrangements for the counting. Not only video-graphy and strict monitoring by the observers but a copy of results delivered by each Electronic Voting Machine will be provided to each election agent present on the counting station,” Mr Narulla informed KNS.  The results of every EVM will be cross checked by the voter forms available on each table, he added.

He said the returning officers have held a detailed meeting with candidates who have contested these elections juts to explain the guidelines set by Election Commission of India to be followed in letter and spirit. “The candidates have been advised to be disciplined and follow the ECI guidelines strictly,” Mr Narulla added. He said that counting of 9633 EVMs will commence in five counting stations at 8.A.M on Friday

. He said the process will be monitored by 8 General Observers and each of them will be accompanied by two Micro observers in Kashmir division.

He added that stringent security arrangements have also been made for all the five counting stations. “The Counting as per ECI guidelines will be carried out in the presence of General Observers, AROs and counting agents and after each round, the copy of results would also be provided to candidates,” he informed. (KNS)

Adequate security arrangements made for all counting stations: IGP Kashmir

Srinagar: A high level meeting of different security agencies chaired by special Director General of Police K Rajendera Kumar was held on Thursday to review the security and deployment arrangements to ensure an incident free counting of Lok Sabha ballots on five stations in Kashmir division.

According to IGP Kashmir A G Mir, adequate arrangements have been made to ensure ‘no security lapses’ on these five counting stations including Leh and Kargil on May 16. “We have taken adequate security measures to facilitate a hassle free counting in all the five stations across the Kashmir division,” Mr Mir told KNS. Official sources revealed to KNS that the counting event in all the five stations will be card based entry system. “Only those people will be allowed to centre into the counting premises who have a valid entry card issued by the election commission,” a well placed officer told KNS.

An officer in the state electoral office told KNS, said that preparations for May 16 Lok Sabha election counting which will be held at five counting stations including Leh and Kargil. Each counting station will have video surveillance to watch over. The security measures for counting halls and strong rooms–which contain the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), have been planned as per the ECI guidelines.

Sources in police maintained that CCTV cameras have already been installed for close surveillance of the activities in the counting venue in Anantnag, Srinagar and Baramulla the three out of five counting stations. In order to review all these arrangements, the Special Director General of Police, K. Rajendra Kumar chaired a meeting that was attended by senior police and para-military officers. The meeting was also attended senior officers of the traffic department and intelligence agencies. Rajendra impressed upon the participants in the meeting to implement the action plan strictly for the security of counting staff and the stations. He stressed for better coordination among the forces to ensure free and fair counting. During the meeting, special DGP sought reports from range DIGPs and para-military officers present in the meeting about security scenario in their respective areas. He stressed for joint efforts to ensure peace and security at all counting stations to thwart sinister designs of elements inimical to peace.

Earlier, the IGP Kashmir Zone, A. G. Mir apprised the meeting about the steps taken for deployment of personnel in different counting stations. The counting of votes for central Kashmir parliamentary constituency will take place at 8 AM in SKICC. According to DC Srinagar Farooq Ahmad Shah, eight halls with 64 tables for 15 assembly segments of the central Kashmir constituency have been created for the counting. “We have divided counting for these 15 segments into two sessions. In first session of the counting we will count votes of 8 segments and in second session the counting will be for the other 7 segments,” he told KNS.

Similarly, in South Kashmir the counting will be carried at Government Degree College Boys Khanabal Anantnag at 8 AM. “We have created 16 halls for 16 assembly segments of the South Kashmir constituency,” Saugat Biswas, deputy commissioner and returning officer for Anantnag Lok Sabha constituency told KNS. In Baramulla the counting be held at Government Boys Degree College at 8 AM. “We have created 15 counting halls  for 15 assembly segments of the Baramulla Lok Sabha constituency and adequate arrangements have been made for the counting,” Farooq Ahmad Lone, deputy commissioner Baramulla who is also the returning officer for the North Kashmir parliamentary constituency told KNS. (KNS)