Kashmir.Watch

Category: Union Territory

  • Women first, worst suffers of any conflict: Mehbooba

    Srinagar: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president, Mehbooba Mufti Sunday said Kashmiri women have showed great courage and dignity while dealing the worst kind of turmoil during the last two decades. This was stated by her while speaking in a women’s’ convention at Meerakshah Colony of Hazratbal area of Srinagar.
    According to a statement issued to KNS, she said the women are the first and the worst suffers of any conflict in the world but credit goes to the women of Kashmir who faced these turbulent times with great courage and dignity. But as a result of conflict, misgoverance and corruption, the problems of women have increased manifold.
    She said National Conference government which came into power in 1996 on the promise of providing security to the people and restoration of autonomy joined hands with BJP for a ministerial birth for Omar Abdullah. This unholy alliance, she said, did not benefit people of J&K rather deprive them off their many resources like Shahtoos, which was banned by Omar Abdullah on the instance of Manika Gandhi. By doing so, the NC has served a death blow to the centuries old entrepreneurship and high value craft of Kashmir rendering thousands of people in Srinagar jobless. Not only this, the NC government handed over the seven most feasible power projects to the NHPC leaving the state high and dry.
    She said the same Manika Gandhi, on whose directions NC went on to make thousands of people jobless, is now demanding that pellet guns may not be used against dogs, but the chief minister, Omar Abdullah is projecting the use of pellet guns in Kashmir as a mercy for Kashmiris. She said till now, with the result many young men have lost their lives, hundreds have been rendered handicapped and dozens have lost their eye sight. Quoting a study conducted by SKIMS, Soura, Mehbooba said only in 2010, pellet guns have killed six persons and injured 198 in Kashmir.
    Recalling the promises made by NC in 2008 elections like ‘Meter Todo, Heater Lagao ( Break Meters, Use Heaters), free power, jobs for all, reduction in cost of cooking gas etc. , she said none of these promises have been fulfilled. Contrary to this the power situation has gone bad to worst in spite of the fact that power tariff has been increased five folds; jobs are on sale including post retirement jobs for likes of Mushtaq Peer.
    Mehbooba assured the women that their empowerment and fulfillment of their needs will be the priority of her party. She added unlike the previous MPs be it Omar Abdullah or Farooq Abdullah, whose aim to win parliamentary polls was to get a birth in BJP and Congress government respectively, the present PDP candidate for Srinagar parliamentary polls, Tariq Hameed Karra will serve the people with all his capabilities. “He will be available to the people and try to serve them and enhance their self-respect and dignity unlike Farooq Abdullah, who called Kashmiris as ‘Maha Chors’, she said.
    She said NC is also responsible for the disempowerment of Legislative Assembly and its prestige, dignity was compromised when the NDA tossed the Autonomy resolution into dustbin, which was passed by the legislature unanimously, but they still continued their services with them. She said Saif-u-Din Soz was thrown out of NC, when he voted against the Vajpayee government in 1998. “So much was intolerance and intensity of relationship that they threw out their senior colleague, because he voted according to his conscience,” she said.
    She said Dr Farooq crossed all limits to please Narender Modi and other leaders of NDA. “Only couple of years back in Ahmadabad, Dr Farooq said ‘he can see Allah in Modi’s eyes’,” she said and added during Gujart riots he not only praised Modi, but they continued to be part of NDA which speaks loud about NC’s thirst for power. She said during 2010 summer agitation, when Dr Farooq Abdullah was asked about the killings on the streets of Kashmir, which his chief minister son was supervising, he had replied: ‘Kashmiriyoun Ko Goli Maro’ (Shoot Kashmiris with bullets).  But they still maintain this holier-than-thou stance and shamelessly go to people to seek votes.
    She said when elections are round the corner and unfortunately the only  milestone left by NC led government are Shopian rape and murder case; 120 youth killings in 2010; mysterious death of Haji Yousuf; Afzal Guroos’s hanging; BOPEE Scam, Drug Scam; backdoor appointment not to forget about  the usage of pellet guns, chili grenades, curfews and PSAs against the youth. While addressing the gathering, the senior PDP leader and the party’s candidate for Srinagar parliamentary constituency, Tariq Hameed Karra sought the support of people in the coming elections.
    Speaking on the occasion, senior PDP leader Asiya Naqash complimented the women for the kind of support they had given to her all these years. PDP leader, Nayeema Ahmad Mahjoor in her speech said that providing a sense of security to the people will be the endeavor of the PDP.
    Others who were present on the occasion include Abdul Hameed Kohsheen, state secretary,  Mohammad Khursheed Aalam, party leader, Anjum Qadri, party leader, Nisar Mandoo, party leader and Mohammad Sidiq. (KNS)

  • Father’s gun injures daughter in north Kashmir

    Srinagar: A teenage girl was injured after a 12-bore rifle went off accidentally in north Kashmir’s frontier Kupwara district on Sunday.
    Official sources told GNS that Sajda Bano (19), daughter of Abdul Rashid Khan of Bungam Haihama sustained serious bullet wound in her abdomen when the liscensed rifle of her father suddenly went off.
    The girl was immediately shifted to district hospital Kupwara where from she was referred to SKIMS Soura for specialized treatment.
    Meanwhile, police has registered a case and started further investigation in this regard. (GNS)

  • Don’t vote those who murdered your children: HCJK

    Srinagar: To give boost to its election boycott campaign, Hurriyat Conference Jammu Kashmir (HCJK) is looking for collaboration with other pro-freedom groups, the amalgam in its high level meeting held under Shabir Ahmad Shahon Sunday decided.
    “A thorough discussion was held with regards to the upcoming parliamentary  elections in which it was decided to formulate a delegation that will take analyze the possibility of coordination between pro-freedom parties so as to effectively launch the election boycott campaign,” HCJK in a statement issue to GNS said.
    During the meeting, the leaders present on the occasion termed the elections being held here since 1947 as political tool of Indian government against freedom struggle of Kashmir. “To keep Kashmiris away from their right to self determination, India has been active at both the political and war fronts against the people of Kashmir. Through former, they seek the help of police and forces to suppress the freedom loving people; the later they use to cover the crimes it commits here,” the leaders vowed.
    The leaders made it clear that taking part in elections have yielded far more bitter consequences on Kashmiri nation than collective suppression by forces, massacres and human rights violations. “Kashmiri nation must realize that the so-called representatives demand votes for various developments but they portray the same participation in polls as Kashmiris’ acknowledgement of Indian rule on Kashmir.” 
    The meeting was attended by Nayeem Ahmad Khan, Mushtaq UL Islam Shabir Ahmad Dar, Muhammad Yusuf Naqash, Farooq Ahmad Dar and other Hurriyat activists. 
    Appealing people to completely boycott the upcoming polls, the leaders said we must not cast your votes to those who martyred our children.
    Reiterating their claim that it is police and force that is ruling the state the members strongly condemned the unending innocent killings, continuous detention of leaders and use of black laws to suppress the freedom movement. “These are total “anti-democratic” acts on part of so-called government.” 
    The leaders present on the occasion also condemned Shabir Ahmad Shah’s arrest on his way to Jammu. “It is undemocratic and against the freedom of expression. We challenge the government to compete with its political opponents on political platform. (GNS)   

  • 3 ladies consume poison

    Srinagar: In an attempt to end their lives, three ladies consumed poisonous substances across the valley, police said on Sunday.
    A lady (name with held) resident of Voi, in Kokernag, Islamabad consumed some poisonous substance at her home. She was shifted to hospital for treatment. Police has registered a case in this regard.
    A lady (name with held) resident of New Colony Khag, in Budgam consumed some poisonous substance at her home. She has been shifted to JVC Srinagar for treatment. Police has registered a case in this regard.
    A lady (name with held) resident of Takiya Payeen, Tral consumed some poisonous substance at her home. She has been shifted to SMHS Hospital for treatment.

  • India Have Always Used Elections to Suppress Our Right To Freedom: Yasin Malik

    Democracy means accepting the freedom of expression and choice of people and providing them a chance to determine their future. Yasin Malik while addressing people at Khrew Pulwama
    Khrew: Democracy means accepting the freedom of expression and choice of people and providing them a chance to determine their future .it does not mean suppressing their democratic right. Indian and its puppets in Kashmir have always used elections to suppress our right to freedom and oppressing the common masses .therefore every honorable Kashmiris  will keep away from these voting’s and elections. This was stated by the chairman JKLF Mohammad Yasin Malik while speaking in a public program held at Khrew Pulwama today. Prior to this Jalsa ,Yasin sahib  and other JKLF leaders reached  Zewan where pamphlets and other written metarial was distributed, at Woyen the rally again met the people and upraised them from the ill consequences of the elections. At Khonmoh the leaders offered Nimaz I Zuhr there. After prayers people of Khomoh especially youth on learning about their presence came out in large numbers from their houses to welcome Yasin sahib. A Dignified procession led by Yasin sahib started from Khonmnoh and marched towards Khrew. Participants of the procession were chanting slogans in favor of Azadi, martyrs, leaders and resistance. They were also chanting slogans against oppression, arrests, and elections. On reaching the central Chowk Kherw this procession took the shape of Jalsa which was addressed by Yasin sahib and other leaders. While addressing the people, Yasin sahib congratulated them for their love and enthusiasm for the freedom movement and said that this tiny nation of ours has sacrificed a lot for the freedom and it is our collective responsibility to safeguard these sacrifices. He said that people have more sacrifices than the leaders here and it is the people who have to keep vigil and remain steadfast in this struggle. While referring to the concept of democracy .Yasin Malik said that democracy means accepting and respecting people’s choice, verdicts and freedom of expression. Giving people the right to choose their own future is the highest standard of democracy. He said that many nations in near past gained their freedom under this principle .Crimea is the latest nation that was given this choice and this list includes south Sudan east Timor and many more. According to this very principle Scotland, Quebec, New Caledonia, Catalonia etc are also exercising their democratic right in near future and will be given a choice to vote for their future. But India which claims to be the world’s biggest democracy, instead of fulfilling its pledges to Kashmiris, has and is subjecting the people of Jammu Kashmir to worst kind of oppression for demanding this democratic right. The irony is that India is using “democracy and democratic institutions” to crush, defame and distort the freedom movement of Kashmiris. Therefore keeping these facts in sight people of Jammu Kashmir have no choice but to refrain from participating in these so called democratic elections.  Yasin Malik while stating in detail the history of elections held in Jammu Kashmir from 1947, said that although these elections are fought in the name of electricity, water, employment, progress, good governance and for running other day to day affairs but the fact of the matter is that India and its Kashmiri puppets always use this to defame our freedom struggle. These people project this vote as being casted in favor of India and try to malign our movement and prolong our slavery .he said that India has always tried to use these false elections to cement its illegal occupation on  Jammu Kashmir. He said that Indian army and forces kill people in cold blood and when they are questioned by the world India replies to them that Kashmiris have their own elected government and that India has nothing to do with these killings? Yasin Malik said that all those who participate in these election be it National conference, PDP, congress, BJP, DNP, AIP, PDF, CPIM, CPI, INDEPENDENT and those who are asking for votes in the name of change, are only serving India and its interests in Kashmir. Yasin Malik said that Kashmiris want to ask those who are asking for votes in the name of change that how and when can they bring about the change when Indian occupation is on Jammu Kashmir is only based on the institutionalized corruption, oppression and tyranny. Yasin sahib stressed upon the people to remain steadfast and vigilant to safeguard the sacrifices rendered. He said that our enemies are trying to divide us in the name of cast, creed, religion, region, language and are asking us to vote for so called prosperity and progress but we all know that they are deceiving us and we all will have to safeguard ourselves from their ill designs. Yasin Malik said that nations that are gaining their freedom may have less sacrifices than us but we should know that they always kept seriousness and instead of their personal gains gave priority to their national cause. He said that as a living nation that has sacrificed a lot for the freedom, we will also have to show magnanimity, wisdom, courage, steadfastness and seriousness and safeguard our national interest by boycotting the Indian elections. He hoped that the Self respecting, wise and courageous people of Kashmir will surely show their zeal for freedom and keep away from these Indian elections.

  • NZ beat England in storm-hit Chittagong

    England lost by Duckworth-Lewis as their World Twenty20 Group One game with New Zealand in Chittagong was abandoned because of a thunderstorm.
    Put in, England made 172-6 with Moeen Ali firing 36 in 23 balls and sharing 72 in seven overs with Michael Lumb (36), while Jos Buttler added 32.
    Brendon McCullum hit a six to put the Kiwis ahead of the rate at 52-1 after five overs when the storm arrived.
    New Zealand were awarded victory by nine runs under the D/L method.
    It was a galling way to start the tournament for England, who posted a competitive total and restricted New Zealand to 31-1 after four overs to be ahead on points in boxing parlance.
    ive overs needed to be bowled in the second innings to constitute a match and that fifth over was not only completed but brought about a complete contrast in the outcome.
    Astute skipper McCullum, conscious of the dramatic flashes of lightning moving ever closer to the stadium, stepped down the pitch to hit counterpart Stuart Broad for six over mid-wicket, then edged over slip for four more before hitting the final ball of the over down the ground for another maximum.
    After familiar feelings of dread at 1-1 from one over, left-handers Ali and Lumb had invigorated England with some delightfully clean hitting on both sides of the wicket.
    Ali was particularly destructive with a spell of four fours and a six in six balls faced.
    But he picked out deep mid-wicket in the eighth over and Lumb was superbly caught by Corey Anderson at third man in the next.
    Buttler kept the scoreboard moving, while Ravi Bopara, Chris Jordan and Tim Bresnan all struck sixes in cameo innings, but the torrential storm thwarted prospects of an intriguing finale.
    England will hope for better fortune in their next match, also under the floodlights, against Sri Lanka at the same venue on Thursday.

  • Sri Lanka beats South Africa in World T20

    CHITTAGONG: Opener Kusal Perera smashed 61 to steer Sri Lanka to five-run win over South Africa in a tight contest in its World Twenty20 opener on Saturday.
    Sri Lanka put up a respectable 165-7 and in response South Africa was restricted to 160-8.
       
    Perera gave Sri Lanka a fluent start, hammering Dale Steyn 17 in the first over. Steyn however retaliated handing Tilkaratne Dilshan a first-ball duck at the same over.
       
    During the course of his fifth half-century, Perera hit six four and three sixes in just 40 balls. After his dismissal, Mathews drove the innings to safety, before Steyn removed him in the last over.
       
    Mathews hit three fours and a six in 32 balls.
       
    In between, leg-spinner Imran Tahir ripped through the Sri Lankan middle order, claiming his career best 3-26.
       
    Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel picked two wickets apiece.
       
    JP Duminy hit 39 while Quinton de Kock made 25. Kock and Duminy added 50-run to keep South Africa in the contest but a late flurry of wicket led its sensational collapse. AB de Villiers contributed 24.
       
    Sachitra Senanayake claimed 2-22 for Sri Lanka. Lasith Malinga, Nuwan Kulasekara, Angelo Mathews and Ajantha Mendis grabbed one wicket apiece.

  • Inquilabi appreciates Mirwaiz’s boycott remarks

    Srinagar: Azam Inquilabi, patron Jammu and Kashmir Mahaz-e-Azadi, while hailing and appreciating what he called as assertive and vociferous stand and stance of Mirwaiz Umar Farooq vis-à-vis the forthcoming ‘farcical and sham’ elections in Kashmir, has said: “It is heartening to know that the high profile pacifist resistance leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has rejected the so-called elections in Kashmir as a fraud and farce that is aimed at hoodwinking the world community.”
    According to a statement issued to KNS, Inquilabi has opined: “Hope Kashmiris will respond to boycott call of Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Shabir Ahmad Shah, Muhammad Yasin Malik and Syed Ali Geelani with patriotic fervor and resolve. Kashmiris, through peaceful and complete boycott, can force the Delhi rulers to adopt a realistic stand regarding Kashmir. Indian rulers will certainly abandon the path of intransigence and obduracy on Kashmir to seek an early peaceful settlement of Kashmir issue.”
    “So now onwards the favorite slogan of Kashmiris should be− ‘Boycott Dikhav, Emaan Bachav; Boycott Dikhav, Jawaan bachav’ (Save emaan and youth through complete peaceful boycott). It is the democratic and constitutional right of Kashmiris to launch an effective boycott campaign. So army and police personnel should not do anything to sabotage the peaceful campaign of resistance leaders. “Unwarranted and unjustified intervention of police and armed forces will be tantamount to brinkmanship that will simply invite the wrath and revenge.” (KNS)
    PDP has openly started aligning with NDA’
    Initiatives of peace, reconciliation, reconstruction facilitated by NC: Mattu
    Srinagar, Mar 22 (KNS): National Conference spokesman, Junaid Mattu has said the PDP has openly started aligning itself with the Modi led NDA and it is important to place on record that the main initiatives of peace, reconciliation and reconstruction in the state have always been taken or facilitated singularly by the National Conference with support sought from successive Governments in New Delhi.
    According to a statement issued to KNS, Mattu has said that it was the National Conference that courageously initiated the process of reconstruction and rehabilitation as early as in 1996. “While National Conference worked hard and succeeded in effecting a historic ceasefire and starting a dialogue with Hizbul Mujahidin in the most crucial and tumultuous phase of political turmoil in the Valley, most of the militant Commanders who came forward to talk were targeted and killed during the government of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed.”
    He said: “How can the same Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and the same PDP that oversaw the annihilation of a moderate and reconciliatory element in the militant leadership now sing songs of peace and prosperity? Where was Mufti Sahab’s “healing touch” when he overtly or covertly approved the annihilation of those Militant Commanders?”
    The NC spokesman said: “Mufti has left a lot of vital questions about his devious and murderous role during political turmoil in Kashmir unanswered perhaps misguided into thinking that Kashmiris have forgotten the dreaded and brutal Mufti of the early ‘90s who broke all records of massacres, systemic repression and gross human rights violations. Mufti before speaking about the people and history of Srinagar should come clean on his alleged ‘deliberate negligence’ that resulted in the assassination of Shaheed Mirwaiz Molvi Mohammad Farooq during the tenure of Mufti as the Home Minister of India.”
    He said: “PDP is free to align with even the RSS or the VHP since they have a democratic right to forge alliances without worrying about the sentiments of the people they tragically and falsely claim to represent.” However, he added that PDP should know that the people of Kashmir are conscious to the well established fact that PDP was invented and established by the BJP to weaken, fragment and bifurcate the voice and representation of the people of J&K.”
    “As Mufti Sahib is understandably trying to repay the favour of 1999 in 2014, while gauging the reverential statements of praise for Modi that have come from Mehbooba Mufti and Muzaffar Baig, it’s evident beyond doubt that PDP has now decided to act as the State Wing of a Modi-led BJP in 2014,” he added.  (KNS)

  • PDP has openly started aligning with NDA: MATTU

    Initiatives of peace, reconciliation, reconstruction facilitated by NC: Mattu
    Srinagar: National Conference spokesman, Junaid Mattu has said the PDP has openly started aligning itself with the Modi led NDA and it is important to place on record that the main initiatives of peace, reconciliation and reconstruction in the state have always been taken or facilitated singularly by the National Conference with support sought from successive Governments in New Delhi.
    According to a statement issued to KNS, Mattu has said that it was the National Conference that courageously initiated the process of reconstruction and rehabilitation as early as in 1996. “While National Conference worked hard and succeeded in effecting a historic ceasefire and starting a dialogue with Hizbul Mujahidin in the most crucial and tumultuous phase of political turmoil in the Valley, most of the militant Commanders who came forward to talk were targeted and killed during the government of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed.”
    He said: “How can the same Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and the same PDP that oversaw the annihilation of a moderate and reconciliatory element in the militant leadership now sing songs of peace and prosperity? Where was Mufti Sahab’s “healing touch” when he overtly or covertly approved the annihilation of those Militant Commanders?”
    The NC spokesman said: “Mufti has left a lot of vital questions about his devious and murderous role during political turmoil in Kashmir unanswered perhaps misguided into thinking that Kashmiris have forgotten the dreaded and brutal Mufti of the early ‘90s who broke all records of massacres, systemic repression and gross human rights violations. Mufti before speaking about the people and history of Srinagar should come clean on his alleged ‘deliberate negligence’ that resulted in the assassination of Shaheed Mirwaiz Molvi Mohammad Farooq during the tenure of Mufti as the Home Minister of India.”  
    He said: “PDP is free to align with even the RSS or the VHP since they have a democratic right to forge alliances without worrying about the sentiments of the people they tragically and falsely claim to represent.” However, he added that PDP should know that the people of Kashmir are conscious to the well established fact that PDP was invented and established by the BJP to weaken, fragment and bifurcate the voice and representation of the people of J&K.”
    “As Mufti Sahib is understandably trying to repay the favour of 1999 in 2014, while gauging the reverential statements of praise for Modi that have come from Mehbooba Mufti and Muzaffar Baig, it’s evident beyond doubt that PDP has now decided to act as the State Wing of a Modi-led BJP in 2014,” he added.  (KNS)

  • NET, SET, PhD dropped- PGs appointed

    We did everything on merits: Nodal Officer Higher Education
    Srinagar: Throwing rules to winds, state’s higher education department has appointed Post graduates as contractual lecturers- dismissing the deserving SET/NET and PhD qualifiers.
    The reports received by KNS stated that the notification issued by state’s higher education department invited applications for the engagement of lecturers, teaching assistants on academic arrangement bases in Kashmir division colleges for the year 2014-15.
    The rejected candidates told KNS that they will approach the court of law as the UGC guidelines 2009, the candidates having NET, SET and PhD shall be eligible for the posts of lecturers. The candidates stated the higher education department has sidelined the guidelines set by the UGC and that the appointment of contractual lecturers was not done on merits.
    However, the nodal officer for the appointment of contractual lecturers Prof Bashir Ahmad Chat told KNS over phone that the appointment has been done on merits and that the same doesn’t come under the rules set by the UGC.   (KNS)