Kashmir.Watch

Category: Union Territory

  • People want vote for change not for mere slogans: Mehbooba

    Jammu: The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president, Mehbooba Mufti Thursdaysaid the people want to vote for change, not for mere slogans, anymore, and ruling parties both at the Centre and state have to show their report card of performance to people before seeking votes.
    Addressing a series of workers meetings in Baderwah segment of Udhampor parliamentary constituency Mehbooba accused NC of resorting to hollow slogans at the time of elections to hide the failures of its government  over the last more than five years in the state.
    She said NC can’t befool the people by raking up emotive issues and by leveling false allegations against the PDP but it has to come out with its performance report before the people so that it becomes easy for everyone to judge what they have done over these years.
    “Helplessness of the ruling dispensation to give an account of its performance is genuine given the fact it has nothing to show and its only achievements have been  scams, frauds, mis-goverance and killings,” she said adding Omar Abdullah has virtually given up before the people’s power when he had said ‘parliamentary polls are not about his performance’.
    Mehbooba said truth is that both NC and Congress have failed the people of Jammu & Kashmir as they remained disconnected from the ground with the result people have to cry for even basic amenities in every nook and corner of the state.
    Castigating the Congress-led UPA in the Centre, she said it has turned a blind eye to every blunder which the Omar Abdullah-led government committed in the state besides it has miserably failed to reach out to the people of J&K politically to address their genuine grievances.
    The PDP president said the Central government didn’t work seriously to address the people’s woes and it even didn’t carry forward its own agenda which it had started in its earlier inning to address different aspects of J&K.
    She said the prime minister’s working group recommendations are gathering dust and their non-implementation shows how the Centre government has been particular about the people of the state.
    Accusing National Conference of playing the power politics and of being non-serious with the issue of people Mehbooba said fighting elections for PDP mean to uphold the interests of the state and provide voice to the people’s sufferings.
    She said the biggest harm which the NC has done to the people of the state is that it has not been able to motivate the political leadership of the country with the problems of the state and sentiments of people and instead it has helped to add on the existing level of mistrust between them and New Delhi by remaining busy with the power.
    She said J&K needs a new direction and the story of the state needs to be told forcefully in New Delhi to make the country aware about the sentiments and aspirations of people which has till now not been done as NC has been using its mandate to secure jobs for the members of the Abdullah family.
    She said people of the entire Chinab Valley are facing huge problems and the ruing government has not been able to mitigate their genuine grievances.
    She said various hydroelectric projects in the area are posing serious threat to the ecology and environment of the region and the last year’s quake which unleashed huge devastation in the area and the repeated tremors latter, are said to be due to these power projects. But after sacrificing hugely, the locals are not even preferred in the jobs in these projects.
    Mehbooba said Toursim Development Authority started by the previous PDP-led government in Baderwah has failed to create jobs and do anything positive to uplift the economic condition of people only.
    She said Baderwah being the oldest sub-division has also been ignored in the recent expansion of administrative units.

  • Police warns eve-teasers in Shopian

    Shopian: Jammu and Kashmir Police in mountainous district of Shopian in South Kashmir have warned eve-teasers to refrain from immoral activities following reports of growing eve-teasing incidents in the town.
    Officials told GNS that Shopian police received several complaints from the parents of female students studying in Government Girls Higher Secondary School that some youth are indulging in immoral activities.
    “After we received complaints from the parents, we deployed police cops near the Higher Secondary school from 9 am to 10:30 am and same was done at the time of off. The process will continue and we warn eve-teasers not indulge in immoral activities and stop making trouble otherwise action will be taken against them,” said Deputy Superintendent of Police, Zahoor Wani. (GNS)


  • JKLF leaders Continue Poll boycott campaign

    Srinagar: Jammu Kashmir liberation front leaders and activists continued their election boycott campaign in Srinagar today. According to a statement issued to KNS, JKLF leaders and activists visited Mehjoor Nagar, Kursu, Gadhanjipora and zero bridge etc and apprised people about the importance of election boycott. The JKLF activists distributed written material about the elections and met people individually and collectively.
    On the occasions JKLF leaders asked people to keep vigil and understand the ill consequences of the elections held under Indian constitution. Leaders told people that these elections are harmful for Jammu Kashmir and against their interests.
    While speaking to the people JKLF leaders said that the hand that is always used for beating and hanging Kashmiris is ready to deceive us again, the inkpot and pen that writes down life imprisonments and hangings for us is asking us to forget the sacrifices and the plough that instead of cultivating our lands has always sieved our hearts and consciences is again ready to put us in trouble.
    JKLF leaders said that there are some who in the name of change are asking us to change our allegiance and some other are asking us to sweep the sacrifices rendered by brooms. We will have to keep vigil on all these who are hell bent to make us fool and lead divide us to get our votes, said leaders.
    JKLF leaders 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 on any name and pretext cannot be termed but as enmity with Kashmir and Kashmiris. Leaders said that every nation safeguards its own interests and it is the duty of every Kashmiri to recognize and safeguard the interest of Kashmir.
    While deliberating upon the bad consequences of these elections they said that participating in these is actually undermining the interests of our oppressed nation and every honorable Kashmiri should therefore refrain from such practice.
    JKLF leaders said that elections held under Indian constitution and under the auspicious of India, though are contested under the slogans of prosperity, roads, water, electricity, good and corruption free governance and for addressing other day to day problems etc, but have always been used to malign, undermine and weaken the freedom struggle of Kashmiris.
    JKLF leaders said that these elections, assemblies, and parliaments have given Kashmiris nothing but despair, distress and disaster. “These elections gave us black Laws like PSA, AFSPA, TADA, POTA etc. These produced the oppression of task force, catch and kill operation tiger, custodial killings and disappearances, unmarked graves and unnamed graveyards. These gave us the hangings of Saheed Baba I Qoum Mohammad Maqbool Butt and Shaheed Afzal Guru. Therefore it is our moral, religious and national obligation to keep, away from voting’s and elections and spread this message to everyone around.” (KNS)

  • SMC de-seals 41 ‘illegal’ structures in Srinagar

    Srinagar: In pursuance to the moratorium put by the state government on demolition of illegal structures in Summer capital of the state and in compliance to the High Court orders, the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) on Wednesday issued orders of de-sealing of 41 structures presently under custody of Joint Commissioner Planning, chief enforcement officers and the concerned police stations. 
    The order bearing number SMC/Enf/692-741 dated April 7, 2014 has been issued by the Commissioner SMC Dr G N Qasba wherein 41 sealed structures have been de-sealed till March 31, 2015 or till the government formulates a policy whichever is earlier.
    Pertinently, on February 25 this year the Legislative Assembly passed a law to put moratorium on demolition of illegal structures which have come up in Srinagar, Jammu and Katra in violation of master plans.
    According to KNS correspondent, under the Act-J&K Civic Laws (Special Provision) Act 2014 – a High Power Committee will prepare a roadmap for regularizing the unauthorized structures, both residential and commercial, against a penalty.
    In defense of this controversial law, the Government had said the “issues involved were many and highly complex and the magnitude of the problem was too huge to be solved through sealing/demolition/forcible action alone though it admitted that a large number of residential/commercial buildings had come up illegally in violation of master plans.
    Last year in October under High Court directions, the SMC had sealed 19 out of 45 identified ‘illegal’ structures in Srinagar city. She said the illegal structures at Jawahar Nagar had become a nuisance for the general public and the same were sealed with the help of police in presence of the executive magistrate.
    Pertinently, on September 30, 2013 a division bench of J&K High Court comprising Chief Justice M M Kumar and Justice Ali Muhammad Magrey asked SMC to seal as many as 45 illegal structures within the City that have come up, over the years, in violation of the Srinagar Master Plan.
    The Court had directed the Corporation to swing into action and take appropriate steps for sealing buildings belonging to any violators as per the show-cause notices and the demolition orders passed (by the Corporation) on March 16, 2009 or thereafter.
    Pertinently, an official panel on Master Plan violations constituted by the state government in 2010 has identified around 2500 illegal structures in and around the Srinagar city falling in SMC and SDA local areas.  (KNS)

  • Students made to labor at Pulwama School

    Pulwama: In one of the government run schools in a Pulwama village of South Kashmir, the administration forces students to labour instead of teaching them.
    The Government Boys and Girls Higher Secondary School Rohomo in the southern district is undergoing some construction work and students – who come to school to study – are made to work during their study hours.
    The Higher Secondary – established eight years ago – is in total mess. The principal of the School Shabir Ahmad Gilkar, says he is unaware about students being forced to labour. “I don’t know any such thing but I will investigate,” he told GNS.
    Gilkar is handicapped and he often comes to the school in the afternoon at his own will, locals said.
    A student told GNS that they were ordered by teachers to work. “When we argued by saying that this is not our work but of laborers, they didn’t pay any heed and ordered us to work,” a student said.
    The construction work in the School is going on since last month.
    The teachers in the school haven’t been transferred from four to five years, a local said.
    The Sarpanch of Rohoma, Ali Muhammad Dar leveled serious allegations on the teaching staff of the school. “I was told by students that these lecturers click photos of girl students during morning prayers,” he alleged.
    He said teachers also use cell phones during classes.
    The Zonal Education Officer, Atta Muhammad Khan, told GNS: “This is worst Higher Secondary. They (School administration) are running school at their own will.”
    He appealed: “please help us in getting things better.”
    The Chief Education Officer, Farooq Ahmad, Pulwama, told GNS that he will investigate the matter. “Whosoever be found guilty, he will be punished,” he said.
    The Director School of Education Kashmir, Tariq Ali Mir assured action against the guilty. He told GNS:  “I will obtain report from the concerned Chief Educational Officer in this regard. We will take action against the guilty.” (GNS)

  • HCJK leaders placed under house arrest.

    Srinagar: Hurriyat Conference Jammu Kashmir (HCJK) leader Shabir Ahmad Shah was today put under house arrest by a large contingent of police force and was not allowed to visit Pulwama. As per program, he was scheduled to address people in various areas of Pulwama with regards to election boycott.
    According to a statement issued to KNS, however, Muslim League chairman, Mushtaq ul Islam, JKLF (R) chairman Farooq Ahmad Dar, Muslim Conference chairman Shabir Ahmad Dar, Islamic Political Party chairman Muhammad Yusuf Naqash and dozens of activists including Ghulam Muhammad Maqdam, Abdul Rashid Bhat, Wajhat Qureshi, Bilal Ahmad Shah, Fayaz Ahmad Kaloo, Aijaz Ahmad Mir and Haroon, succeeded in reaching Pulwama where they addressed people and appealed people to stay away from so-called democratic elections.
    The leaders while addressing people said the elections are only to consolidate the forcible occupation of Indian rule and to mislead the world community. “Here people are never consulted but the administration thrusts their own views upon them. They are carrying out undemocratic activities in the name of democracy,” they said.
    They said Hurriyat Conference is a political platform which propagates its stand among people in a peaceful manner but as routine, the administration creates hurdles in our path and prevents us from reaching out to the people. “India should realize that it is Kashmiri people who are running the freedom movement. They can’t separate masses from their leaders. Our slogan will reap fruit by the people’s election boycott.”
    Hurriyat Conference JK leader Shabir Ahmad Shah while paying tributes to the martyrs of Chowkibal said such encounters and situations rise only because India always kept the Kashmir issue lingering and never wished to resolve it.
    Meanwhile, Hurriyat spokesperson while condemning the house arrest of Shabir Ahmad Shah said it is ironic that so-called democratic rulers are beating the drums of democracy but are restricting the every movement of its opponents.
    As per last reports, the Hurriyat leaders and activists were arrested on their way back from Pulwama which include Mushtaq ul Islam, Farooq Ahmad Dar, Shabir Ahmad Dar, Muhammad Yusuf Naqash, Aijaz Ahmad Mir, Nayeem Ahmad Dar, Muhammad Saju Wani, Javed Ahmad Mir and Rouf Ahmad.  (KNS)

  • Jammu to go for polls tomorrow

    Security beefed up.Do not want to take any chances: DGP  
    Srinagar: A day before the Lok Sabha polls are scheduled to be held in Jammu Parliamentary constituency the area, the director General of Police on Wednesday said that despite a considerable level of improvement in security situation, the security forces does not want to take any chances this time.
    Talking to KNS, Ashok Prasad the DGP Jammu and Kashmir said that the level of threat from the militants is similar to that was in 2008 general elections but the police and other security agencies have taken certain measures to make foolproof security arrangements this time.
    He said: “We have a coordination committee of various security agencies who take decisions on deployment of forces. But one thing is sure that we do not want to take any chances this time.”
    Meanwhile, police and other security forces on Wednesday launched a massive search operation in Rajouri town and other places of the district to prevent an untoward incident on the day of polling in the Jammu Lok Sabah constituency.
    Sources told KNS that the security has been beefed up in the entire region particularly with massive search operations launched by the security forces in Rajouri area. With barricades kept at several places in the area, the vehicles were thoroughly checked throughout the day. Also security was increased in various towns in Jammu region. Reports maintained that security was raised on Rajouri-Jammu and Rajouri-Poonch highways and the vehicles are being checked thoroughly. (KNS)

  • Mirwaiz calls for valley-wide strike on Saturday

    Srinagar: The chairman of his faction of All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) Mirwaiz Umar FarooqWednesday called for valley-wide strike on Saturday against the proposed extension of Tosa Maidan lease.
    Addressing a press conference at APHC Headquarters in Rajbagh, the Kashmir’s chief priest said there will be complete shutdown and peaceful protests on Saturday.
    He threatened protests if lease is extended. “If this lease is extended, there will be protests.”
    The APHC Human Rights Division has compiled a report on Tosa Maidan which reads: “Tosa Maidan was leased to the army in 1964 for setting up an artillery firing range with the 50-year lease. Tosa Maidan’s lease to the Indian army ends on the 18th of April 2014this year. Since 1964, for six months from May to October every year, the meadow sees scenes of simulated warfare carried out by the army. During this period, the villages reverberate with the barrage of shelling and deafening explosions, forcing the villagers to stay indoors most of the time. The human cost of the military exercises is now causing an outcry not only in the affected villages but across the Kashmir Valley.”
    The report further reads:  “On 8 September 1992, three children aged 8, 9 and 12 went to the fringes of Tosa Maidan to graze their cattle when they were drawn to an abandoned object. But when they started playing with it, the object exploded, blowing their bodies into smithereens. The army paid no compensation to the family who have been disabled or killed.”
    The people of adjoining villages of Tosa Maidan in Central Kashmir have started a massive agitation against the proposed extension of lease. (GNS)

  • Mirwaiz’s letter a big step forward: Mufti

    ‘Common approach to resolution emerging’
    Srinagar: People’s Democratic Party (PDP) patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed has said a common approach was emerging to the resolution of Kashmir issue which could prove vital to the efforts at ending the 67 year long conflict.
    Welcoming the initiative taken by the Mirwaiz Umar Farooq to address the people of India in an open letter published in media, Mufti said it could prove a big step forward which has the potential of being the basis of a major political initiative.

    In a brief chat with media here today on the occasion of PDP Lok Sabha candidate Tariq Hameed Karra’s filing of nomination papers Mufti said his party endorses and supports the sentiment and the substance of the Mirwaiz’s letter, which can prove to be a historic document if responded appropriately by the national level leadership.
    Mufti said PDP believes that peace and resolution process based on dialogue will have to be inclusive of all political formations, including the Hurriyat. “Our manifesto states that involving Hurriyat will increase the legitimacy of the resolution process and widen its acceptability”, he said.

    The PDP patron said that he was very happy to see that the position of the Hurriyat and the proposals that have been made are very similar to that discussed in PDP’s manifesto for the parliamentary elections that was released last month.

    Pertinently, in the letter Mirwaiz has suggested that, “The good intentions of your prime ministers aside, we regret that the peace initiatives proved to be too fragile and the process too vulnerable”.  He goes on to say that, “In order to resolve the Kashmir issue, your elected prime ministers need the consistent support of the opposition parties and they also need active support from all of you – the people of India.”

    The PDP manifesto, Mufti said also states the same: “All the political and economic initiatives have been led by the leadership at individual level; be it the P V Narasimha Rao’s “sky is the limit for autonomy”, or Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s “insaniyat kay dairay main” or Manmohan Singh’s “making borders irrelevant”. All these well-meaning initiatives need to be institutionalized for them to have an impact on the ground. Unless these approaches, which are broadly similar, get sanctified and authorized by the Parliament, there cannot be any headway as far as the resolution is concerned”.  Indeed, as stated by the Mirwaiz, our manifesto states that “finding a resolution in J&K is not only the Government’s responsibility”.

    Mufti said PDP believes that the opposition and other political parties have an equal responsibility and stake in the well-being of J&K.

    Meanwhile, Tariq Hameed Karra, the party’s candidate for Srinagar parliamentary constituency filed his nomination papers before the returning officer in the afternoon. Besides Mufti he was accompanied by senior party leaders from the constituency including Qazi Mohammad Afzal, Ghulam Nabi Lone Hanjura, Mohammad Ashraf Mir MLC, Mohammad Shafi Wani MLA, Saifudin Bhat, Ms Asiea Naqash, Mohammad Khurshid Alam, Nisar Ahmad Mandoo, Ab Rouf Bhat, Dr Ali MOhd Wani, Haji Parvez Ahmad, Ab Rahim Kuchai, Mudasir Ahmad Khan, Nazir Ahamd Yatoo and others.    

    A large number of workers followed the candidate and other leaders and later drove through the city up to Hazratbal, where Karra addressed a gathering.

  • Sri Lanka beat India to win title

    Kumar Sangakkara guided Sri Lanka to a six-wicket victory over India to win the World Twenty20 in Mirpur and end a run of four defeats in global finals.
    Sangakkara, playing his final Twenty20 international, scored 52 not out as Sri Lanka chased down 131 in 17.5 overs.
    Tight Sri Lanka bowling had limited India to 130-4 despite Virat Kohli’s sublime 77 off 58 balls.
    Sri Lanka were beaten in the 2007 and 2011 World Cup finals and the 2009 and 2012 World T20 finals.
    Sangakkara and veteran team-mate Mahela Jayawardene were involved in all four of those disappointments, and this was a fitting way for both to bow out of international Twenty20 cricket.
    Victory was particularly sweet for Sangakkara, who had scored only 19 runs in his previous five innings in the tournament but oversaw a patient run chase that was finished off in style when Thisara Perera clubbed Ravichandran Ashwin for his third six.
    World Cup and Champions Trophy winners India were hoping to become the first team to hold all three limited-overs trophies.
    But their quest was undermined by a disappointing batting performance that stalled badly after Rohit Sharma drove to short extra cover in the 11th over for 29 to break a second-wicket partnership of 60 with Kohli.
    Yuvraj Singh, so often a destructive batsman in the shorter forms of the game, looked horribly out of touch as he scratched around for 11 off 21 balls.
    With Kohli starved of the strike, the innings lost all momentum and even Mahendra Dhoni could add only four from seven balls after Yuvraj’s tame lob to long off finally brought the captain to the crease in the penultimate over.
    The final four overs, in which Kohli faced eight balls, yielded just 19 runs before the tournament’s leading run-scorer was run out trying to force a second from the final delivery of the innings.
    India took wickets with enough regularity to keep the match alive and evoke memories of the 2012 final, when Sri Lanka were bowled out for 101 in pursuit of the West Indies’ modest 137-6.
    Kusal Perera was out in the second over as he sliced Mohit Sharma to mid-off and Tillakaratne Dilshan holed out to Kohli at deep square leg for 18.
    Jayawardene swiped Suresh Raina to midwicket to depart for 24 and, when Lahiru Thirimanne nicked Amit Mishra to wicketkeeper Dhoni, Sri Lanka were wobbling on 78-4.
    But Perera announced his intent by hitting Mishra over long-on for a huge six and followed up with another maximum in the leg-spinner’s next over.
    Sangakkara thrashed consecutive fours off Ashwin to reach his half-century and take Sri Lanka to within four runs of the title.
    And Perera danced down the track to apply the perfect finish and spark jubilant scenes among the Sri Lanka players and fans.