Kashmir.Watch

Category: Union Territory

  • Shah urges central Kashmir to g for total boycott

    Srinagar: Senior leader of Hurriyat Conference Jammu Kashmir (HCJK) Shabir Ahmad Shah while expressing satisfaction over the pro-freedom spirit of the people of Anantnag, Shopian, Pulwama, Kulgam and Tral said all eyes are on the people of Srinagar, Ganderbal and Budgam as to how much loyalty will they show with the blood of martyrs by rejecting the polls.

    According to a statement issued to KNS: “We have full hope that the people of central and north Kashmir will follow the suit of south Kashmir by completely boycotting the sham elections. The success of election boycott campaign is the success of the whole nation and the credit goes to those people who boycotted and also urge others to so the same,” Shah vowed.

    Shah said the government should not forget that the people of Srinagar have been keeping the flag of freedom high since last 66 years. “In 1988, they proved to be a rock against Indian occupational forces. They are above the fear and greed. It is impossible to lure them to vote for petty interest. They will never compromise with the pious freedom movement,” Shah, who is still under house arrest said.

    He also paid tributes to three persons martyred in Shopian and telephonically addressed the people present during the funeral procession of Shaheed Aashiq Ahmad and said the whole nation is indebted to these martyrs who, by sacrificing their precious blood, took Kashmir issue to international level. Lashing out at Indian puppets of valley, Shah said the NC, PDP, Congress are playing the dirty politics in the name of democracy here. “The arrest of Geelani Sahib, Yasin Malik Sahib, Nayeem Sahib, Mushtaq ul Islam Sahib, Sehrai Sahib and Muhammad Yasin Ataai Sahib is the open proof of the dictatorial approach of these pro-India parties,” Shah said, adding that the reason of putting pro-freedom leaders under

    arrest is that they want to befool the common Kashmiri by forcing him to participate in sham elections.

    Shah expressed hope that despite the continuous arrest of Hurriyat JK leaders, the anti-election campaign will continue at any cost. Shabir Ahmad Shah also expressed serious concern over the plight of detainees across the various jails of valley and said the hundreds among Freedom Party zonal president, Moulana Abdul Qayoom continue to languish in jails with no crime of theirs. “The worst part is that the killers of Shaheed Muhammad Maqbool Bhat and Shaheed Muhammad Afzal Guru viz. Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah are not shying away from asking for votes to people just for their petty chair.”

    Shah also condemned the authorities for not allowing a youth Ishfaq Ahmad Baba alias Nana of Hajin, who was seriously injured due to pellet gun and was scheduled to visit Chandigarh for treatment. “The so-called cheap and tyrannical police, in spite of hospitalizing him put the injured youth behind bars. It is the height of oppression,” Shah added. (KNS)

     

  • Omar lashes out at ‘PDP-BJP bonhomie’

    ‘Asks peoples to unearth their conspiracy against J&K’

    ‘Appeals for whole-hearted support to NC-Congress joint Candidates’

    Beerwa (Budgam): Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah who is also working President of National Conference Saturday said that current Lok Sabha Election is an important occasion particularly for the people of Jammu and Kashmir to put their wight behind the NC-Congress joint candidates to ensure defeat of the anti-Jammu and Kashmir forces. “You have to be united to stop the attempt of communal and deceptive forces to be at the helm of affairs in New Delhi”, he said while lashing out at the bonhomie between PDP and BJP.

    Addressing an Election rally in Beerwa Budgam this afternoon, Omar Abdullah said that people of the State have to make a choice between communal forces and those representing aspirations of all sections and all regions of the Country. “The current Lok Sabha Elections have put you to a historic test”, he told the people and said that they have to exercise their franchise whole heartedly in favour of NC-Congress candidates to give a befitting reply to deceptive forces represented by PDP in the State and BJP at the Center. He said that time has come when the people of the State have to rise to the occasion by exposing the elements who divide them on different counts for petty power politics.

    Omar Abdullah said that National Conference represents the aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir and has always carried forward its agenda for equitable and inclusive development of the State. “We are committed to march ahead on this agenda seeking prosperity, peace and political stability in the State”, he said and added that the track record of NC and its leadership is full of sacrifices for the larger interests of the State.

    Taking PDP to the task for extending covert and overt support to BJP and its Prime Ministerial candidate in the current Lok Sabha Elections Omar Abdullah said that power hungry PDP leadership is out to barter the interests of the State and its people for obtaining blessings of Narendra Modi and BJP which founded this party in the State to act as its extended arm and “B-team”. He said despite fully knowing the ideology and agenda of BJP against Jammu and Kashmir PDP is openly out to provide tactical support to BJP in Jammu and Kashmir.

    The Working President National Conference asked the people to beware of the double faced PDP leadership who in one or the other garb attempt at creating confusion in the minds of people by flaring up tension and dividing the society on regional and religious lines. Omar Abdullah said that since its inception in the State PDP is nurturing a propagandist approach and using deceptive politics to be in limelight and grab the power. He asked the people to read between the lines and punish the clandestine alliance between BJP and PDP against Jammu and Kashmir.

    Omar Abdullah said that the best way to scuttle this unholy bonhomie between BJP and PDP is that the people of the State should come out in large number in favour of National Conference-Congress candidates and help in bringing a Jammu and Kashmir friendly government in the Centre that would take equal care for growth and development of all sections and all regions of the Country. He said Rahul Gandhi represents this kind of an approach as he symbolizes communal harmony, commitment to all sections of the society and holistic development of India. He said that in Rahul Gandhi Jammu and Kashmir has found its sincere friend who has been always been there to help the State.

    The rally was also addressed by the President, Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee, Prof. Saif-ud-Din Soz, Provincial President NC, Kashmir, Nasir Aslam Wani and various other senior leaders of National Conference and Congress. (GNS)

     

     

  • JKLF holds an election boycott candle March at Sher I Khaas

    Police and forces Attack the rally at Bahawdin sahib and Bohrikadal

    SHEHR I KHAAS: Senior leader of Jammu Kashmir liberation front (JKLF)  Showkat Ahmad Bakhshi along with Ghulam Rasool Hazari and others was today arrested when they were leading a candle march at Down town ( Shehr I Khaas) today evening. The candle march was organized in connection with the election boycott campaign and starting from Mukhdoom sahib shrine and its destination was Khankahi Mohalla Srinagar.  Despite a crackdown on JKLF leaders, workers and activists ,JKLF leaders and activists holding burning candles (MASHAAL) in their hands raised slogans in favor of freedom, martyrs, struggle and leaders and marched towards the destination. This procession was passing through Bahawdin sahib when police in large numbers cordoned it and tried to stop its march. Police arrested Showkat sahib and Ghulam Rasool Hazari but the participants of the rally provided stiff resistance and broke the cordon OF police and other forces. The participants of the procession with burning torches in their hands marched through Jamia Masjid, Nowhatta ,Malarat and Bohri Kadal where police again intercepted the procession and used force to disperse it . The passion and enthusiasm of the participants especially the youth was a treat to watch and the slogans in favor of election boycott filled the atmosphere on the occasion participants especially the youth provided stiff resistance and slogans of “boycott boycott election boycott” filled the atmosphere.

    Before the rally Showkat Ahmad Bakhshi  while talking to media person and participants of the rally termed Indian elections as a stage managed drama and army and police operation and said that India has been repeating this drama to hoodwink international opinion .Bakhshi sahib  while asking the people  to keep away from Indian elections said that we Kashmiris will have to keep in mind the ill effects and bad consequences of participating in Indian elections and that that boycotting these elections is our moral and political right as well as duty because these elections are meant to weaken our freedom struggle and voice. He said that participating in these elections cannot be termed but as betrayal as this is against the national interests of Kashmiris.

    Bakhshi sahib said that today pro India parties and their leaders fearing the strength of boycott have started a malicious campaign against the boycott call. They are propagating that this boycott is benefitting some and harming some pro India parties. We want to tell them all that elections held under the Indian constitution are in every case harmful for the nation of Kashmir and people who contest and take part in these are nothing but stooges of India and they are the handle of Indian axe that is and has been crushing and killing Kashmiris. He said, that for freedom lovers, it hardly matters who is a beneficiary and who is loser. For the people of Jammu Kashmir all these pro India parties and leaders are same and their job is to harm the interests of Kashmiris

    Bakhshi sahib said that if this election was democratic as put by India and its stooges how come Indian state and its Kashmiri puppets have started a crack down on political leadership and activists. Baskshi sahib said that so far police along with front chairman Mohammad Yasin Malik have arrested leaders and activists of JKLF  including advocate Bashir Ahmad Bhat, Bashir Ahmad Kashmiri, Mohammad Azeem Zargar, Arshid Ahmad Bhat ( Jan) Fayaz  Ahmad, Imtiyaz Ahmad etc. From last 2 days police besides raiding and searching for JKLF leaders, activists and workers throughout valley have arrested Bashir Ahmad Rather ( Boya )and Gayas ud Din from Ganderbal, Mohammad Aadil and Ishfaq Hussain from Maisuma, Mohammad Ahsan from Kokerbazar and Ghulam Jeelani from Kangan area. Police has launched a hunt for JKLF leaders and activists and besides this thousands of innocent youth have been put behind the bars so far.

    Showkat sahib said all these atrocities, arrests, oppressive measures and ban on peaceful political activities clearly show that this election is nothing but a military operation of worst kind and its only purpose is to hoodwink international opinion under the garb of democracy. Bakshi sahib said that a war like situation has been created by police and forces and this is dubbed as democracy. He questioned that if this is democracy then what is dictatorship?  Bakhshi sahib said that the main aim and objective of elections organized by India and held under Indian constitution is to prolong the slavery of Kashmiris, to legislate new tyrannical and oppressive laws against people of Jammu Kashmir and to subject Kashmiris to torture and repression .Therefore participation in these election In any name is enmity with Kashmir and Kashmiris and no Kashmiri can ever think of this betrayal. He appealed the people of Srinagar, Budgam, Ganderbal,Baramullah,Bandipora and Kupwara to show resilience like the people of south Kashmir and boycott this election fraud

     

  • Mufti a staunch Indian, wicked politician: Geelani

    Srinagar: Chairman All Parties Hurriyat Conference, Syed Ali Geelani termed the PDP patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed a staunch Indian and a wicked politician and rejected his unrealistic statement in which he have said that the solution of Kashmir issue lies within the Indian constitution and he have also praised any fake Kashmir vision and historic steps of Mr. Vajpayee.

    According to a statement issued to KNS, Geelani has said that the whole world knows that the forced occupation of Kashmir doesn’t have any moral or constitutional justification but Mufti Syeed and other pro-Indian politicians are advocating this forces occupation and are working in a planed way to strengthen this occupation. In Saturday’s press release, Geelani said that Mufti Sayeed had spent his whole life in serving the Indian policies under the banner of Congress and now on the directions of secret agencies, he have floated a new party PDP.

    “This party is very expert in deceiving people by hallow slogans and in 2002 they grabbed the power in the name of “Gooli Nahi Booli” (talks against the bullets) policy and then they severely harmed the freedom struggle. Mufti Sayeed had also said that “the Mujahedeen need not to hide in forests now and I will represent them in the assembly”, but after that top Mujahedeen commanders were martyred under a planned scheme. Geelani reminded Mufti Sayeed his statement in which he said that “Give me 40 seats, I will solve the Kashmir issue”.

    Geelani said that, how is the solution of Kashmir dispute possible under the Indian constitution where the Kashmiri Nation is struggling from last 66 years against forced occupation and sovereignty of India and about 6 lakh lives has been sacrificed, honour and dignity have lost and villages and towns were destroyed in this struggle. If Kashmiris had accepted the Indian constitution then there was no issue or no occupation. Geelani said that the Kashmir dispute is not the matter of good or bad governance which can be solved by changing government or the hands. This is an international level dispute which is the matter of the lives of 13 million people. He said that the Indian constitution is  acceptable to Mufti Sayeed, Umar Abdullah and Saif-ud-din Soz like few people, while as the majority of population is struggling against the Indian occupation and they will not accept any solution which will be within the Indian constitution.

    “So to talk solution of Kashmir within Indian constitution is an unrealistic and ridicules approach of Mufti Sayeed. This is an acceptable reality which Mufti Sayeed fully knows, but to appease the authorities in New Delhi he is taking this non-sense.” Geelani termed this statement of Mufti Sayeed as ridicules in which he praised the Kashmir vision of Mr. Vajpayee.

    He said that it is a fake object which is being mentioned again and again. Vajpayee was not having any kind of extraordinary vision about Kashmir and he was not following any different policy on Kashmir. It is their (India) set policy to held dialogues with Pakistan and when international pressure mounts on India, they through the card of dialogue. Sometimes with Pakistan and sometimes with Kashmiri leadership, only to kill time and deceive the world community. These types of dialogue have been held more than 150 times till now, but due to the arrogance and rigidness   of India, the Kashmir have not moved even an inch towards the solution. Geelani advised Mufti Sayeed that he should shun the politics of deceit now because the new generation of Kashmir has become politically enough mature and sensitive. They can’t be deceived with these flatters nor can they be fooled by these green flags and the symbol of Ink-pot and pen. (KNS)

     

  • Defeat Farooq, send NC on leave: Mehbooba

    Srinagar: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president, Mehbooba Mufti has said the value of vote was first underlined in Jammu & Kashmir by the people of Ganderbal constituency in 2002 which had resulted in a revolutionary change all across the state and even beyond.

    According to a statement issued to KNS, while addressing number of meetings in a road show in Ganderbal segment of Srinagar parliamentary constituency Mehbooba said she could sense the revival of the same spirit today in the former heartland of the National Conference influence and hoped that Ganderbal would once again lead the state in liberating itself from the antics and exploitation of Dr Farooq Abdullah who prefers to describe Kashmiris as ‘maha chors’ before filing nomination papers. “With what face is Farooq sahib asking for votes after such defamation” said Mehbooba. Senior party leader Qazi Mohammad Afzal, Abdul Wahid Dar, Zone president Ghulam Rasool Shaheen and others were also accompanying the party president.

    She said Ganderbal had once, in 2002, established the power of vote in the state which resulted in the first real change in the governance though it lasted for a few years. Mehbooba said the marginalization of the NC between 2002 and 2005 had opened a new window of hope and opportunity not just for J&K but for the entire region as well. “That change established new standards in the state politics and the politicians for the first time felt accountable to the people and MLAs were compelled by the new situation to identify themselves with the people and solve their problems,” she said and added that it is because of the introduction of credible alternative to NC in the shape of the PDP that the people are now able to make a clear choice of their representatives now.

    The PDP chief said if the people of Ganderbal had not taken  bold and courageous decision in 2002 and voted against Omar Abdullah the state would never had realized that change in government could actually bring change in the lives of people. She said almost overnight the state terror promoted by the NC was demolished by the Mufti government by winding up the Task Force, disciplined security forces, disbanding Ikhwanis, scrapping POTA and restoring the dignity of common man. Political prisoners including top separatist leaders were released and the atmosphere of insecurity and random arrests was replaced with accountability of forces, said Mehbooba.

    Mehbooba said though the PDP made a government in coalition with Congress, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed introduced a new idiom in the state politics that could appeal even the NDA government at the Centre resulting in the famous Vajpayee initiatives in the Indo-Pak relations. A new chapter of openness and hope was started which culminated with the restoration of traditional routes and introducing travel and trade across the LoC. Normalcy returned to villages and cities, business revived, tourists returned to the valley besides such facilities like mobile telephony which Farooq Abdullah government had failed to get in spite of being part of the NDA.

    She said the process that was stalled by the change in government in 2008 has to be revived to carry forward the resolution efforts between India and Pakistan over Kashmir.

    “For this it is necessary that Dr Farooq Abdullah is defeated and the NC is once again sent on leave to let the people of J&K focus on fundamental issues,” said Mehbooba. “Together we would script a new destiny for the state which however cannot be done without active participation of Ganderbal,” she added.

    She said the ruling party knows it well that they don’t have anything substantial to show in the form of performance over the last five years and now they are raking-up misleading slogans, abusing opponents and making false promises to the people to make itself relevant, but that actually is not the case as people have made up their mind to change the political scenario in the state. (KNS)

     

  • 624 Medical Shops inspected, 123 licenses suspended

    Srinagar: During the weeklong special drive conducted by the department of Drug & Food Control Organization, Kashmir Division, 624 Medical Shops were inspected by various teams throughout Kashmir Division. Licence’s of 123 Medical Shops was suspended for violating various provisions of D&C Act 1940. Besides, 26 Medical Shops were put on the show cause notices. The Chemists were asked to maintain sale and purchase records of various drugs properly including day book and to store the drugs as per their requirement and to supply drugs only on production of prescription and to issue Cash Memo’s strictly. They were asked to retain photo copies of Schedule H1 & Psychotropic Drugs with them for inspection of enforcement staff.

    During the drive, two Medical Shops in Bemina and Batmaloo locality were found running without a valid drug sale licence. The drugs worth Rs. 95,913/- were seized from the said shops.

    Moreover, the department lifted 334 samples from Government, private establishments, wholesalers and retailers for analysis in order to ascertain their quality. The drive was launched to ensure that quality drugs are available to the ailing at right prices. The public is asked to lodge their complaint any Drug or Medical Shop on the department’s helpline no:-0194-2495191. (KNS)

     

  • Police declared Geelani’s residence a sub jail: Hurriyat (G)

    Srinagar: Police have formally restricted the visiting of public with chairman Hurriyat Conference, Syed Ali Geelani from Saturday morning and the whole office staff including the Tehreek-e-Hurriyat leaders Peer Saifullah, Raja Mehraj-ud-din, Hurriyat Spokesman Ayaz Akbar and Mohammad Yousuf Mujahid have been held hostage in the Hurriyat head office Hyderpora.

    According to Ayaz Akbar, chief spokesman of Hurriyat (G): “The police has formally declared the residence of Geelani Sahib as a sub jail and directed everybody there not to move outside the house. The SHO concerned had visited the Geelani Sahib’s residence with the announcement.”

    Meanwhile, strongly condemning the government action, Akbar said that the record braking election boycott of South Kashmir people have frustrated the whole system from New Delhi to Umar led government in Srinagar and with the result, they have started a spree of arrest and harassment in the entire region of central and North Kashmir from Friday evening.

    Besides Fareeda Behanji, Molvi Bashir, Peer Abdul Rasheed, Mir Hafizullah and Mukhtar Ahmad Sofi about 300 youth have been detained so far. In a press statement from Hyderpora, Hurriyat spokesman Ayaz Akbar said that a top police official came to Hyderpora office at 9 a.m Saturday and verbally ordered the restrictions that nobody should be allowed to meet Geelani and office staff including some pro-freedom leaders are also banned to come out and he asked the police party who are already present at the main gate of Hyderpora office to strictly follow the directions and after that whoever come to meet Geelani, they were not allowed to enter and were forced to return.

    According to the statement, the Geelani has been detained at his home from the very day when he returned from New Delhi, but today this office were formally sealed and restrictions has been imposed in exit and entry. Besides this Mohammad Ashraf Sehraie and Dr. Gh. Mohammad Ganie has also been kept under house arrest while as 50 Hurriyat leaders including Mir Hafizullah, Mohammad Yousuf Lone, Amir Hamza, Gh. Hasan Dar, Gh. Hasan Malik, Ab. Hameed Parray, Asadullah Parray, Mehraj-ud-din Nanda and Javed Ahmad Nanda has been detained in different police stations and jails. Besides this, the police has started crackdown in Srinagar, Ganderbal, Budgam, Baramulla, Sopore, Handwara, Hajan and Bandipora areas and from last 24 hours about 200 more youths have been arrested. Hurriyat spokesman said that after having a tough experience in South Kashmir, the government is frustrated now and they have formed a new strategy to make 2nd and 3rd phase of election drama a success.

    They have not only started the arrest spree, but a huge number of mobile voters have been prepared. According to the reports, the training of the hundreds of National Conference workers have been started in Srinagar for this purpose and they are dumped in different places where they are accommodated. (KNS)

     

     

     

  • Shopian encounter: Clashes, protests witnessed in South Kashmir

    Srinagar: In south Kashmir’s Shopian area, clashes were reported at various places after the killing of three militants during an encounter with forces. According to the reports received by KNS, people from the adjoining villages of Shopian Saturday took to streets and raised pro-freedom slogans.  Witnesses told KNS that several people are camping near the encounter site demanding the bodies of the slain militants.

    Reports informed that Pulwama witnessed clashes at several places with the security forces as one of the slain militants in the encounter is from the area. Youth in Pulwama fought pitched battles with the forces with the protesters taking to streets against the killing of Mohammad Asif Wani during a 17 hour gun battle. Reports maintained that complete shutdown was observed at Drubgam. Also the family and the close relatives of the slain militant are camped near the encounter site. Also the reports informed that clashes between protesters and police erupted at various areas of Shopian with several people getting injured during the day long battles.

    Pertinently, two army personnel including a major and three militants have been killed in an encounter which continued overnight in south Kashmir’s Shopian district. Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) south Kashmir, Vijay Kumar stated  that the militants killed in the killed belonged to Hizb and that the fact is yet to be ascertained that whether the slain militants had any link with the killing of a polling officer  on April 24 or not.  “The probe into the matter is going on and that we all have to wait till the investigation completes,” said Kumar. (KNS)

     

     

  • Protest after Ganderbal woman dies due to ‘negligence’

    Srinagar: People in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district held strong protests and locked a government hospital after a woman died due to alleged negligence of doctors.

    Reports said Shameema, 26, resident of Fatehpora in the district, was admitted in the Sub-District Hospital (SDH) and gave birth to a girl on Thursday morning.

    “Soon after the delivery, she started to bleed excessively. The doctors at SDH referred her to Lal Ded Hospital Srinagar,” her husband Mehraj-ud-Din Malla told GNS. He added 15 points of blood were transfused into the patient.

    “However,” they said, “She couldn’t survive and breathed his last yesterday afternoon.”

    Soon after her death, people including her relatives held protests at SDH Ganderbal and locked down the hospital.

    The protesters alleged that the woman died due to medical negligence and demanded action against the accused doctors.

    A police team headed by Station House Officer (SHO) Ganderbal, Liyaqat Ahmad, reached the spot and pacified them after which they dispersed.

    Talking to GNS, the Block Medical Officer (BMO) Shabir Ahmad said that there is no medical negligence in Shameema’s death. However, he added: “A committee has been setup in this regard and it will probe the incident.”

    Meanwhile, police have registered an FIR number 55/14 in this regard under Section 304/A at police station Ganderbal. (GNS)

     

  • Hizb claims responsibility of Poonch attack

    Srinagar: Militant outfit Hizbul Mujhadeen Saturday claimed that its ‘Pirpanjal Regiment’ attacked the Indian troopers on Friday morning along the Line of Control in Poonch sector.

    Operation Spokesman Hizbul Muhadeen, Baleeg-u-Din told CNS on phone that it were the men from their ‘Pirpanjal Regiment’ which carried the attack on Indian Forces in Poonch Sector.

    “Our ‘Mujhadeen’ attacked the Indian post on Friday morning resulting in the killing of several Indian soldiers. After attacking Indian troopers our ‘Mujhadeen’ managed to reach their destination safely,” he said adding that such attacks would be carried out in future as well. (CNS)