Kashmir.Watch

Category: Union Territory

  • LS polls: Woman contestant in Kashmir after two decades

    Srinagar: After a gap of two decades, a woman is set to contest parliamentary elections in Jammu and Kashmir as an independent candidate.
    Nirupama Kaul alias Rabia Baji, who runs a nongovernmental group in Kashmir, Thursday announced that she will contest the election from Srinagar slated in the months of April and May.
    Begam Abdullah, chief minister’s Omar Abdullah’s grandmother, had successfully contested the parliamentary elections from Srinagar in 1984.
    Rabia, who was in the news after 65 Kashmir students were expelled from a university in India’s Meerut, during a press conference at her Raj Bagh office said: I will contest the election as an independent candidate.
    Rabia, who runs the All India Centre for Urban and Rural Development (AICURD, J&K), will be the first woman from the state to fight the parliamentary elections after nearly two decades.
    According to GNS, Rabia, said ‘she will not contest as a leader’, but, ‘as a representative of a common Kashmir people whose voice are unheard in the Indian Parliament’.
    She is set to announce her manifesto within coming days ‘after proper consultation with various cross sections of society’. “I am not contesting against anyone but am contesting for the voice of youth and suppressed women who do not get their choice of representation and relief for their suffering and needs,” she said.
     Rabia said youth are the pillar and the backbone of the society. “If the youth is strong, the society is strong, same for the women, who are the foundation stone of a family. If women are economically, socially and physically strong, then the society also becomes strong,” she said.
     The students expelled from the SVSU University were sent to study there on Prime Minister’s scholarship scheme through Rabia’s group.While commenting on the sedition charges leveled on Kashmir students, she said their suspension order has not been revoked. “I had called a meeting of the parents of suspended students. Some of them are concerned for the safety of their wards and want a migration from the varsity and some want to rejoin their studies at the university,” she said.
    Rabia said those who are issuing statements in connection with the ousting of these students should answer why they turned their heads when asked to assist the students in 2010. “Now, they are issuing statements regarding the issue as part of their election gimmick,” she said.
    Rabia will be contesting against National Conference (NC) patron and union minister Dr Farooq Abdullah – who is currently Member of Parliament from Srinagar Constituency. Traditionally, Srinagar is NC’s stronghold, and it had swept Assembly elections as well in 2008.
    The others who are contesting parliament elections this year are Tariq Hamid Qarra of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Aam Aadmi Party’s Raja Muzaffar Bhat, a former PDP worker who had joined the opposition after working as an RTI campaigner. (GNS)

  • Protesters demand reopening of Pathribal Fake Encounter

    Srinagar: Locals staged a protest in Brariaangan village of south Kashmir’s Islamabad town on Tuesday on the 14th anniversary of Pathribal fake encounter victims.
    Along with the family members of the victims, the protesters gathered near the graveyard of Pathribal and Bulbul Nowgam and observed a Fateh Khawani for the slain people.
    Reports said people carrying banners and placards seeking severe punishment for killers of these innocent men took out a march.
    On this occasion, Rashid Khan, the son of one of the victims of Pathribal fake encounter told CNS that they will struggle till justice is not delivered in the case. 
    “The way Army has given clean chit to the killers indicates that there is military rule in Kashmir while the state government is helpless and powerless to book and punish the culprits who are all Indian army soldiers,” he said.
    He said the Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah raised this issue in the assembly to gain sympathy from the people. 
    “Elections are coming and Omar Abdullah did lip service to gain some votes,” Khan said.
    Another protestor said they will leave no stone unturned to get the killers punished. “We have not given up and our struggle will continue,” he said.
    Nearly 14 years after the Pathribhal fake encounter that rocked Jammu and Kashmir, Army closed the case saying the evidence recorded could not establish prima facie charges against any of the five accused Army personnel. 

  • West Indies beat Bangladesh by 73 runs

    Mirpur: West Indies defeated hosts Bangladesh by 73 runs in a Group 2 Super 10 match of the ICC World Twenty20 here today.

    Brief Scores: West Indies: 171 for seven in 20 overs (Dwayne Smith 72, Chris Gayle 48; Al-Amin Hossain 3/21).
    Bangladesh: 98 all out in 19.1 overs (Mushfiqur Rahim 22, Mashrafe Mortaza 19; Samuel Badree 4/15, Krishmar Santokie 3/17).

  • Army, police launch searches in Tral

    Srinagar: Army and Special Operation Group (SOG) of police continued its search operations on second consecutive day Tuesday to nab the militants who on Monday evening gave slip to the joint team of forces in Tral village of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district.
    Reports reaching GNS said the troops of 42, 3 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) and SOG carried out day-long searches in Mir Mohalla and Beiggund Mohalla of Dadsar village in Tral.
    A police official while confirming the searches in the area said that no one was arrested during the operation.
    Last evening, the joint team of forces acting on specific information had cordoned off Dadsar village during which militants managed to flee before firing upon the forces. However, no one was injured in the firing incident. (GNS)

  • Registration process of coaching centre starts

    CCA introduces model code of conduct for its centres 
    Srinagar: With the registration of 17 coaching centres the much awaited registration process of coaching centres in Kashmir valley has finally been started by the education department.
    According to a statement issued to KNS, the Coaching Centres Association (CCA) of Kashmir has welcomed the order and hoped the entire process would be completed in the shortest period of time. “Finally the education department has resolved the long pending issue that will help a large students community,” said G N Var chairman CCA after a detailed meeting with the Director of School Education, Tariq Ali Mir.
    The meeting discussed the problems confronting the private education sector particularly coaching centres in the valley. “It was a healthy discussion and we reached a consensus,” said Var. “It was decided that 17 coaching centres who have fulfilled the norms set by the government would be provided registration papers.”
    After the initial phase the education department would be registering more coaching centres after proper verification. “Only those coaching centres who have the requisite infrastructure and fulfil other requirements would be considered,” said Var. “With active support from Divisional Commissioner, we have finally accomplished the process of registration that was pending for more than three years.”
    Var said that the coaching centres have been asked to follow all the guidelines and any lacunae would be severely punished. “If there are any complaints against any particular coaching centre, the people should immediately contact us or the education department,” said Var. “According to our agreement the working of every coaching centre would be monitored by our association and the education department. So there would be less chance of any exploitation of student community.”
    The association has already sent copies of code of conduct to its coaching centres. According to the code of conduct, every coaching centre will devise an inbuilt mechanism to address the grievances of students/parents, maintain proper student teacher ratio, provide washroom facilities, drinking water, heating and other basic amenities, said Var. “Besides moral classes would be conducted in every coaching centre by religious scholars, behavioural scientists and upright officers in the administration.” The association said that under the new code of conduct the Poor and deserving students would also be given coaching free of cost. (KNS)

  • Nasir presides over workers meet in Sonawar

    Asks NC cadre to defeat those who aligned with Modi
    Srinagar: National Conference Provincial President Nasir Aslam Wani presided over a high-level workers’ meet for Sonawar Constituency and impressed on the NC cadre to ensure the party’s thumping victory in the Srinagar Parliamentary Seat.
    Lauding the leadership and performance of Dr. Farooq Abdullah at the Center as a Senior Cabinet Minister in the UPA-II Government, Nasir said the people of Srinagar are represented in the Parliament by a strong, towering leader who has always represented the interests of his constituents unconditionally and unapologetically.
    While highlighting the achievements of the Omar Abdullah led NC-Congress coalition government in the State, Nasir said that the previous five years of transparent and pro-people governance in the State have provided ample proof about the commendable work done in these years in the sectors of power generation, tourism, roads, health and education. In spite of the agitations that Kashmir faced in three subsequent years, development works were carried on unabated and with an unprecedented pace.
    Nasir said that the creation of new Administrative Units has been a historic structural reform aimed at decentralization of power. Omar Abdullah led NC-Congress Government ensured that governance reaches the doorsteps of the people. It was NC founder Sher-e-Kashmir Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah’s vision that political captaincy was the ultimate right of the common man. Omar Abdullah infused new life into this dream and motto by bringing in the Right to Information Act and then creating new Administrative Units – a step aimed at improving the accessibility and efficiency of governance in the State. 
    Lashing out at PDP for warming up to Narendra Modi led BJP, Nasir said that PDP was trampling upon the sentiments of the people of this State by shamelessly praising a figure as divisive and communal as Modi. Now that PDP has realized and acknowledged defeat in its sinister designs to harm the NC-Congress ideological coalition, they are left with no option but to openly align with the RSS-mentored Modi team.
    The functionaries, office bearers and workers assured the party leadership of their enthusiasm and passion in ensuring a thumping victory for the coalition candidate Dr. Farooq Abdullah. 
    Those who spoke on the occasion included District President NC Srinagar and MLA Zadibal Peer Afaq, MLA Sonawar Mohammad Yaseen Shah, MLC Ghulam Qadir Pardesi and Block President Sonawar Bashir Ahmed Ganai. Others present on the occasion included NC Provincial Secretary Advocate Showkat Ahmed Mir, NC Spokesman Junaid Azim Mattu, District Secretary Srinagar Mushtaq Ahmed Teli, Ms. Sabiya Qadri Provincial Secretary NC Womens’ Wing, youth leaders Najeeb Khan, Imran Nabi Dar, Ahsan Pardesi, Jehangir Yaqoob, Saleem Akhoon, Shujaat Chashoo, Hilal Ahmed Sofi, Student Leaders Imran Pandit and Rasik Bhat. (KNS)

  • KPA condemns ‘malicious campaign’

    Srinagar: In an emergency meeting of Jammu Kashmir Press Association (KPA) held today under the chairmanship  of its president, Ghulam Hassan Kaloo,  the executive members deliberated upon the “Table News” published in English daily, “Hindu”, by its local Correspondent which is quite ‘misleading, concocted and a figment of imagination’.
    In a statement issued to GNS, the KPA said: “The said Correspondent has tried to mislead the Election Commission of India and the J&K State Officials by reporting that the Jammu and Kashmir Information Department is releasing payments to the newspapers, both local and national dailies, on account of advertisement against the directions enunciated in the Model Code of Conduct laid down by the Election Commission of India.”
    “The fact of the matter being that such payments pertain to the advertisements of the last year which could not be cleared by the Information Department due to paucity of funds .Hence it is a committed expenditure and does not violate the said Code of Conduct as pointed out and published in the said newspaper,” the KPA said.
    The executive members expressed satisfaction and hailed the efforts of the Principal Secretary to CM/Commissioner Secretary Information Department, B.B. Vyas and Tasaduq Jeelani, Director Information Department for striving hard to arrange funds for the disbursement of liabilities among the Printers/Publishers of newspapers under circulation in India in general and the State of J&K in particular. (GNS)

  • Shah expresses grief over Kashmiri docs killing in Libya

    Expresses solidarity with bereaved family of Banna
    Srinagar: Expressing grief over the abduction and killing of enthusiastic Kashmiri doctor, Irfan Ali in Libya, Hurriyat Conference leader Shabir Ahmad Shah expressed his seep sympathy and solidarity with the bereaved family of the deceased.
    Commenting on the threats faced by Kashmiri youth outside state, Shah said it is unfortunate that Kashmiri youth are being murdered outside state under various pretexts. He said the whole Kashmiris nation is grieved over the demise of Dr. Irfan Ali.
    Shah also expressed condolences to the family of Mahajar Ghulam Hassan alias Hassan Al Banna of Lasjan over the demise of his mother. A delegation led by Shabir Ahmad Shah also visited both Shalimar and Lasjan. The delegation also visited the Lal Bazar residence of Imtiyaz Ahmad Kumar and offered condolences to the bereaved family.
    The delegation accompanying Shah included Muhammad Abdullah Tari, Mushtaqul Islam, Muhammad Yusuf Naqash, Wajhat Qureshi, Molvi Bashir Ahmad, Muhammad Yasin Ataai and Altaf Raja. (KNS)

  • US experts give presentation on ‘criminal justice system

    Srinagar: The legal experts from US on Tuesday delivered presentations and held interaction with the students and other dignitaries here at Central University of Kashmir (CUK). The event was organized by Zonal Police Headquarters, Kashmir, in collaboration with Indian Institute of Public Administration, Regional Branch Jammu and Kashmir Bank and CUK.
    According to GNS, the experts in their presentation deliberated on the liabilities of police personnel and different aspects of improving the criminal justice system besides educational performance and domestic violence against women.
    Dr. Robert D Hanser, a senior professor in the criminal justice system and a coordinator of the criminal justice programme University of Louisiana USA in his presentation gave a detailed description of his research in civil liabilities in criminal justice system in different parts of the world. He focused on different aspects of improving the system that suit the requirements in diverse cultures and ethnicities.
    Dr. Diana Bruns, who is a senior faculty member/research expert working in the University of Missouri USA spoke on educational qualities and police performance besides domestic violence against women. She informed that her study has revealed that out of 15000 Police deptts in US only 285 are headed by women Police officers.
    She also shed light on the crimes against women and impact of college education on police performance and backed her arguments with the data of her research on these subjects.
    Vice Chancellor, Central University of Kashmir, who was the chief guest on the ocassion stressed on the need to focus on speedy, fair and transparent investigations and trials in order to make the criminal justice system more productive.
    He said that the quantum of punishments cannot be as important as the speedy disposal of cases. He added that coordination between the elements of criminal justice system i.e Legislature, Executive and Judiciary is highly needed to achieve the desired results.
    Principal District and Sessions Judge, Srinagar, Mohammad Shafi Khan who presided over the function said the criminal justice system is constantly evolving to better deliverance with each passing day. “The system that we inherited from British is being constantly improvised by the Legislature and the Supreme Court to provide better delivery of justice to the people of the country,” he said and asserted that judiciary and executive are prime requisites that need to be worked on, in order to give a better delivery of criminal justice system to the future generations.
    Inspector General of Police, Kashmir Zone, A.G Mir in his address said that due to globalization, the happenings in one part of the world have direct impact on another part of the world. “Likewise, the criminal justice system of one place is impacting the criminal justice system of another place,” IG said.
    “The technical advances have made things somewhat complicated for criminal justice system, so it is imperative to understand the criminal justice system of other countries as well,” Mir added.
    Concluding the session, DIG, CKR Syed Afadul Mujtaba enunciated the approach adopted by the Jammu and Kashmir Police in the cases of domestic violence. He said we have established a police station specifically meant for the cases of domestic violence. “In cases of marital discord where violence is not present the police tries to negotiate a settlement between the wife and husband so that they carry on with their relationship in future as well,” Mujtaba said, adding that the cases of domestic violence are investigated and chargesheeted as per laws and procedures laid by the book.
    He said the structure of the police organization in the last two decades underwent a change and had to adopt an approach of force multiplier. “Law is easily enforceable when more and more people are on the side of law,” Mujtaba added.
    Other dignitaries present during the interactive session included SSP Srinagar Amit Kumar, Joint Director Prosecution Mohammad Ashraf, Honorary Secretary IIPA Kashmir G M Andrabi, Chief Prosecuting Officers, Zonal SPs, SDPOs and prosecuting officers. (GNS)

  • Harassing Kashmiris a hobby of DySP Goswami: Geelani

    Geelani asks Red Cross to take up Tihar incident with jail authorities
    Srinagar: Expressing concern over an assault on Kashmiri detainees in Tihar Jail, chairman Hurriyat Conference (G) Syed Ali Geelani has appealed International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) that it should take immediate notice of this incident and raise the issue with jail authorities.
    According to a statement issued to KNS from Delhi, Geelani has blamed that this assault has been carried out on the direction of Deputy Superintendent of jail Mr Goswami and ‘he always harass the Kashnmiri prisoners inside the jail in every possible way’.
    The Hurriyat Conference (G) chairman said that Kashmiri inmates in Tihar Jail are living a miserable and depressed life and they feel threat to their life. “Jail authorities sometimes directly subject the Kashmiri prisoners to custodial violence and sometimes some professional criminals are hired to attack them. Kashmiri prisoners have been many times attacked in jails in the past, but this time the assault was so strong that Tauseef Ahmad Peer, Ahitsham-ul-Haq and Enginear Fafi Mehmood Bihar got fractures in their bones.”
    He said that the detainees who were attacked in Tihar Jail have told their families that the professional criminals in Tihar Jail actually get the directions from the Deputy Superintendent of jail Mr Gouswami to harass the Kashnmiri prisoners. “He is a communal and prejudice minded person and harassing the Kashmiri inmates, is his favourite hobby.”
    He said that the custodial violence is against the international laws and it is the worst kind of human rights violation which doesn’t have any legal or moral justification. Geelani has said that the anti Kashmiri wave is spreading all over India and Kashmiris are everywhere treated in a curl and violent ways.
    “8 to 10 incidents of this kind have occurred in just a span of one month when Kashmiri were attacked and injured and the fresh attack in Tihar Jail looks to be the branch of this wave. Due to these types of incidents, Kashmiris everywhere in India, are feeling unsafe and uncomfortable and the attack in Tihar Jail have not only raised a question mark on the safety and a security of Kashmiri prisoners in Indian jails, but these incidents are worrisome for their families and they are now very much concerned towards the safety and wellbeing of their dear ones.”
    Geelani appealed the officials of ICRC working in India to take serious notice of this inhuman act and raise this issue with the jail authorities and help us in safeguarding the lives of Kashmiri prisoners in Indian Jails. Geelani cautioned the jail authorities and the Indian government that they would be wholly responsible for any untoward act against any Kashmiri prisoner. (KNS)