Category: Union Territory

Srinagar: The UJC chief and Hizbul Mujahideen supremo Syed Salahudin Friday hailed the people of south Kashmir for observing boycott of Lok Sabah elections, stating that this time again the people of Kashmir have proved the dissent at large.

According to a statement issued by Syed Sadat Hussian, Hizbul Mujahideen spokesman to KNS, the UJC chief has stated that the people of Kashmir have given a clear message to New Delhi that they reject the polls under the Indian constitution.  “Despite the crackdown upon the leaders and terror unleashed on common people, the resistance shown by the people is sumptuous.”

He stated further that the people of Kashmir will prefer to sacrifice their lives instead of laying down their heads before the ‘oppressor’. “From the armed resistance camp of Kashmir, we want to congratulate and salute the people for observing complete poll boycott.”

He has also warned that with the passage of time, the militant outfits will intensify their strikes against security forces. “Those who have betrayed the movement will have to answer here in this world and on the day of judgment. They will have to repent.” The UJC chief has said that like Anantnag, he expects people will observe complete boycott in rest of the phases of elections in Kashmir. “That day is bound to come when Kashmiri will succeed in their freedom struggle,” Sallahudin said while strongly condemning  the force used against journalists in Kashmir. “No doubt a section of Media is toeing Indian line but a major portion is reflecting the true sentiments of Kashmiri people.” (KNS)

Expresses sympathy with Zia-ul-Haq’s family ‘Happy on boycott by Pandit, Sikh communities

Srinagar: Expressing his deep sorrow and dismay over the killing of a polling officer in Shopian, chairman Hurriyat Conference (G), Syed Ali Geelani expressed his sympathy with the bereaved family and condoled the demise.

According to a statement issued to KNS, he said that the election in Jammu and Kashmir are actually a practical military operation and government employees are forcibly included into this military operation which doesn’t have any moral or legal justifications and it is also a grave human rights violation.

Geelani said that as there is a huge presence of Indian forces in the shape of 7.5 lakh army, paramilitary forces and police, so government should select its polling staff among these police and other forces and the civil employees should not be dragged into this military exercise.

He said that the election drama in Jammu and Kashmir is held in war like situation and the government employees are forcibly involved in this game, which is excess with them and it doesn’t have any justification. “The government employees are held hostage which is totally against the international laws.”

While expressing his sympathy with bereaved family of polling officer Zia-ul-Haq, Geelani also advised the government employees that they should resist their forced selection or deployment and if the government will further force them, they can fight it out in the judiciary also.

Expressing pleasure over the election boycott of our Pandit and Sikh brothers in first phase of election drama, Geelani said that due to the long pending Kashmir dispute, Muslims as well as non-Muslims brothers of Jammu and Kashmir are facing lot of difficulties and troubles day in and day out and these non-Muslim brothers are also trapped in political instability situation.

He said that the solution of Kashmir dispute should be on the basses of right to self-determination in which every individual of entire Jammu and Kashmir including Ladakh, Jammu, Azad Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan and of any religion cast or creed, will be given a chance to express his choice and whatever the result will be, we are bound to accept that.

Geelani said that the decision of Pandit and Sikh brothers to support the Muslim brothers in election boycott have proven that the Kashmir dispute is not any communal issue. This is the issue of future of 13 million people including the minorities of Hindu, Sikh, Buddhists and Christen brothers.

“India has forcibly occupied this region with its military might and she is back-tracking its promises including the promises of plebiscites to be held in Jammu and Kashmir, which she has made in at national as well international forums.”

Geelani further said that the minorities of Jammu and Kashmir are our brothers and they are like our body parts and we will never leave them alone at any situation and in anyway. While terming the expressions of the Pandith brothers residing in Islamabad (Anantnag), as a token of pleasure for him, the pro-freedom leader said that ‘I would have visited them many times, if I were not continuously detained from 2010 at my home’.

Geelani said that if any non-Muslim brother is facing any difficulty or issue in which we can help them, they are most welcome here any time without any restriction. We will get great pleasure in helping them because it is our religious, national and moral responsibility and duty to help them in every situation and at any stage. Geelani expressed his hope that our non-Muslim brothers will also boycott the next phase of election drama and will stand in support of their Muslim brothers by staying away from the polls. (KNS)

Busy in other states, Azad not campaigning in Srinagar, Baramulla

I, personally expected ZPDP to withdraw its candidate against Azad: Soz

Srinagar: Disclosing it for the first time that it was Peoples Democratic Party’s policies which compelled its senior leadership to go for vigorous campaigning against Mehbooba Mufti in Anantnag, Congress today accused PDP of repeating ‘2008 mistake’ by fielding a candidate in Udhampur Lok Sabah constituency against Ghulam Nabi Azad.

“The PDP pulled out its support from Ghulam Nabi Azad government in 2008 and it has again ditched Azad sahib in Udhampur by fielding a candidate that too from Chenab valley,” a senior Congress leader and close associate of Azad told KNS pleading anonymity. “We had thought PDP would be remorseful for its 2008 mistake but not only Mehbooba Mufti fielded a candidate against Azad sahib to cut Muslim votes in Udhampur but she also visited personally to campaign against Congress,” the Congress senior leader said.

Another senior Congress leader and minister in Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s cabinet says that by fielding its candidate against Ghulam Nabi Azad, the PDP has supported BJP. “It is not me but even Azad Sahib’s has expressed it many a times without any ambiguity that PDP has helped BJP by fielding its candidate in Udhampur,” the Congress minister told KNS wishing not to be named.

When asked why he showed keen interest in coming openly against PDP candidate Mehbooba Mufti in Anantnag Lok Sabha constituency this time, Ghulam Nabi Azad told KNS on phone from Lucknow: “It is not the question of my interest or no interest but I have to go by the party high command’s decision. It is the party high command which makes such decisions and everybody in the party is supposed to follow these decisions.”

Recently Azad while asking people in Anantnag to vote for Coalition candidate Dr Mehboob Beg had asked PDP to shun its diplomatic policy and come clean on its political ideology. “The present Lok Sabah election is a battle between secular forces led by Rahul Gandhi and communal elements led by Narendra Modi… PDP which is nowhere at the national political scene, has preferred not to declare its allegiance to either of the two,” Azad was quoted by media while addressing election rallies in Verinag and Kokernag areas of Anantnag Parliamentary constituency on April 21.

Asked that if he is scheduled to campaign for the coalition candidates in Srinagar and Baramulla Lok Sabha constituencies, Azad said: “I would have come there to campaign for coalition candidates in Srinagar and Baramulla but I, am busy with campaigning in Uttar Pradesh, Telengana and Himachal Pradesh.”   Pertinently, Azad has been deputed for campaigning in Telangana after he played  a pivotal role for the party as the incharge of Andhra Pradesh. Before the announcement of statehood for Telangana Azad had held a series of meetings with representatives of its three regions-Coastal Andhra, Rayalaseema and Telangana and submitted his recommendations on the issue before the party high command.

Prof Saif-u-Din Soz, president Pradesh Congress Committee when asked to comment on the issue told KNS: “Though the PDP had announced candidature of Mr Arshid Malik from Udhampur before the Congress made the announcement about Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad as its candidate from Udhampur, I, had personally, presumed that PDP would withdraw its candidate because fielding him would have served no purpose for the party. But unfortunately that didn’t happened.” (KNS)

Srinagar: Continuing with its record performance during 2012, Passport Office Srinagar rendered around Sixty Thousand (60,000) Passport Services during 2013 (around 250 per day).

Record number of around One Lakh Twenty One Thousand (1,21,000) Passport Services rendered during 2012 and 2013. Passports were issued under Tatkaal Service also which after modifications in the application system became transparent and uniform.

“These are record performances in the history of Passport Office Srinagar and the figures assume significance keeping in view some abnormal situation during the early months of this year and streamlining of Passport Service,” said a statement issued to KNS.

For the convenience of the applicants and to reduce the processing period some initiatives taken during the year are new Passport booklets with Ghost Image or Letter Screening Image were introduced to overcome smudging problems. This has also provided an additional overt security features to protect travel documents against tampering and unauthorized personalization.

“Online downloading of Personal Particular Forms by the concerned verifying agencies. The physical movement of Personal Particular Forms from the Passport Office to the concerned was done away with as a result of which substantial reduction in the verification period was observed. Launch of online payment system for Passport applicants to resolve the issue of non-availability of appointments and to reduce no-shows of applicants. This has also eliminated the chances of bogus applicants. The applicants are taking advantage of dedicated time slots, dual facility of monitoring to cross check their details at the time of processing and relief from after visits which were tortuous.”

Grievance handling became easy and instant. The applicants can now track the disposal of their complaints/passport applications without physically visiting Passport Office.

The delivery of Passports to the applicants in coordination with the General Post Office Department J&K also showed remarkable improvement.

Around Twenty One Thousand six hundred and Ninety Seven (21,697) number of Hajj applications were received till 30-03-2013 for Hajj 2013 as per the State-Wise data. The issuance of such number of Passports was possible due to all possible efforts by the officials of Passport Office Srinagar who attended duties even on off days during the said period. To cope with the rush, two day Passport Mela was held on 09th & 10th March 2013. Passport Adalats were also held on 23rd and 30th October 2013.Continuing with this in 2014 around 25000 Hajj Applications were received by State Hajj Committee for Hajj 2014 in respect of applicants falling within the jurisdiction of Passport Office Srinagar which clearly reflects the performance and efforts of this Office in facilitating hassle-free service to Hajj aspirants. A Passport Mela was also held on March 1, 2014 in this regard.

In addition to the issuance of Passports, Passport Office Srinagar in coordination with all concerned made all efforts to have the hassle-free crossings at LoC at Kaman, Uri (Srinagar- Muzaffar Abad Bus Service) and Teetwal Karnah during the year. The Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus plied uninterruptedly.

The applicants are requested to visit the website www.passportindia.gov.in for online appointments and other information relating to Passport Services. Members of public are also advised to desist from dealing with touts/agents who may be charging exorbitantly for their services and further may be making false promises about arranging assured urgent appointment or faster Passport Service delivery. The Government has not authorized any intermediary/representative to undertake such activity or to give such assurances.  Such incidents of harassment/influence by them may be reported to the concerned Passport Office.

After the launch of Passport Seva Kendras, the appointments are available to general public through the website mentioned above. Alternatively, certain categories of applicants are allowed to walk-in without appointment, details of which are also available on the website. However, the appointments are allowed keeping in view the available resources and the pre-appointment figures. Applicants falling under this category are therefore expected to attend Passport Seva Kendra Srinagar preferably by 09:30 AM on the working days. Applicants are also requested to visit Passport Office as per appointment date/time for availing satisfactory Passport Services. (KNS)